PlainFlights

Route · DTW → ORF · 2020–2025 BTS data

Detroit to Norfolk

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), DTW to ORF (Detroit to Norfolk) ranks #2386 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

84.1%
On-time
+5.1 pts
vs US avg
83 min
Delay when late
5,260
Flights
#2386 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

0.7%

Best Month

Sep 2024 95%

Worst Month

Jul 2024 60%

Distance

529 mi

Carriers

22

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 54 16 2 0 DL,OO
Nov 2025 51 11 0 0 DL
Oct 2025 63 9 0 0 OO,DL
Sep 2025 68 19 0 0 OO,DL,NK
Aug 2025 65 13 0 1 NK,DL
Jul 2025 78 23 2 1 OO,DL,NK
Jun 2025 72 15 1 0 NK,OO,YX,DL
May 2025 48 8 0 0 OO,NK
Apr 2025 37 4 0 0 OO
Mar 2025 76 13 0 0 OO
Feb 2025 50 13 2 0 OO
Jan 2025 53 12 2 0 OO,YX
Dec 2024 64 15 0 0 9E,OO,YX
Nov 2024 82 17 0 0 OO,9E
Oct 2024 86 19 0 0 OO,9E
Sep 2024 74 4 0 2 OO,9E
Aug 2024 77 23 0 0 DL,9E,OO
Jul 2024 86 34 0 2 9E,DL,OO
Jun 2024 79 18 1 1 9E,OO
May 2024 78 9 0 0 9E
Apr 2024 58 8 0 0 9E
Mar 2024 54 9 0 0 9E
Feb 2024 45 2 0 0 9E
Jan 2024 50 15 1 0 9E,DL

DTW–ORF seasonal on-time pattern

Best: April (89.8%) · weakest: August (79.1%)

75%80%85%90%95% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 81.7%

Strongest calendar month

April

89.8% on-time · ~64 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

July

~84 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

August

79.1% on-time · ~82 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

0.7%

11 of 1,548 flights

Diversion Rate

0.5%

7 of 1,548 flights

Explore origin & destination

On-time and delay data for the airports this route connects.

DTW - Detroit

Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Detroit, MI.

DTW on-time profile

ORF - Norfolk

Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Norfolk, VA.

ORF on-time profile

Compare the two airports

See DTW and ORF side by side on delays, cancellations, and reliability.

Compare DTW vs ORF

Origin-hub reliability standing

Mid-pack among DTW departures

From DTW, this corridor sits with 60 other 75–85% on-time routes out of 94 tracked departures, not the hub's reliability leaders (34 at ≥85%) and not the softest ( 0 below 75%). Destination: Norfolk · fleet on-time rank #1532 of 4927.

What the Data Says About DTW to ORF

Bureau of Transportation Statistics records show Detroit to Norfolk (DTW to ORF) running a 84.1% on-time rate over 5,260 tracked flights, on the stronger end of a typical domestic pairing. When flights do run late, the average delay is 82.7 minutes. The 529-mile corridor is served by 22 carriers, and over the last 24 months 0.7% of 1,548 flights were cancelled, 0.5% diverted.

The monthly split is wide on this route: Sep 2024 posted the strongest performance at 95% on-time, while Jul 2024 came in at just 60% - a 34-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, DTW–ORF peaks in April at 89.8% on-time while July carries the heaviest traffic (~84 flights per month) ; the softest month is August at 79.1%, a 10.7-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does DTW to ORF rank among US routes by traffic? ▼
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, DTW to ORF ranks #2386 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1). That ordinal matches our busiest-routes listing (total_flights DESC). See /methodology#corpus-placement for the exact sort basis.
How often are flights delayed from DTW to ORF? ▼
Flights from Detroit to Norfolk have a 84.1% on-time rate based on 5,260 flights. The average delay is 82.7 minutes. The best recent month was Sep 2024 with 95% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for DTW to ORF? ▼
Over the last 24 months, 0.7% of flights on this route were cancelled (11 of 1,548 flights) and 0.5% were diverted.
How far is the flight from DTW to ORF? ▼
The flight distance from Detroit (DTW) to Norfolk (ORF) is approximately 529 miles. This route is served by 22 carriers.
When is the best time to fly from DTW to ORF? ▼
The best recent month for on-time performance was Sep 2024 (95% on-time). The worst was Jul 2024 (60% on-time). Consider booking during months with historically better performance.

Airports on this route

DTW Airport

Detroit
ORF Airport

Norfolk
Data source

Data Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), On-Time Performance Data. Statistics reflect cumulative performance across all available reporting periods.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Using DTW–ORF data

DTW–ORF runs 5.1 pts above the national 79% average; the remaining risk is month-to-month swing and carrier mix, not a weak headline rate.

  • Compare DTW and ORF airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. DTW airport
  • If your dates flex, April (89.8% on-time) beats August (79.1%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 84.1% on-time rate; compare before you commit to this pairing. Similar routes

On-time rate reflects the BTS historical average across all reporting carriers on this origin–destination pair, not any single flight or booking recommendation.

Data sourced from U.S. Department of Transportation Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) On-Time Performance data. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainFlights

Every figure on PlainFlights is rendered directly from BTS On-Time Performance data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page aggregates this specific route's on-time performance and monthly trend, live from the dataset. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.