PlainFlights

Route · DTW → PBI · 2020–2025 BTS data

Detroit to West Palm Beach/Palm Beach

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), DTW to PBI (Detroit to West Palm Beach/Palm Beach) ranks #4057 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

81%
On-time
+2 pts
vs US avg
71 min
Delay when late
1,629
Flights
#4057 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

0.9%

Best Month

Mar 2025 74%

Worst Month

Jan 2025 69%

Distance

1,086 mi

Carriers

2

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 43 14 0 0 DL
Nov 2025 30 10 0 0 DL
Oct 2025 31 1 0 0 DL
Sep 2025 30 2 0 0 DL
Aug 2025 31 3 0 0 DL
Jul 2025 31 0 0 0 DL
Jun 2025 30 6 1 0 DL
May 2025 31 7 0 0 DL
Apr 2025 43 7 0 0 DL
Mar 2025 62 16 1 0 DL
Feb 2025 54 16 0 0 DL
Jan 2025 51 16 0 0 DL
Dec 2024 42 15 0 0 DL
Nov 2024 30 4 0 0 DL
Oct 2024 31 4 1 0 DL
Sep 2024 30 1 0 0 DL
Aug 2024 31 7 3 0 DL
Jul 2024 31 7 2 0 DL
Jun 2024 30 9 0 0 DL
May 2024 31 8 0 0 DL
Apr 2024 34 10 0 0 DL
Mar 2024 49 10 0 1 DL
Feb 2024 49 9 0 0 DL
Jan 2024 47 20 0 0 DL

DTW–PBI seasonal on-time pattern

Best: September (95.0%) · weakest: December (70.1%)

60%70%80%90%100% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 70.1%

Strongest calendar month

September

95.0% on-time · ~30 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

February

~48 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

December

70.1% on-time · ~42 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

0.9%

8 of 902 flights

Diversion Rate

0.1%

1 of 902 flights

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: West Palm Beach/Palm Beach · fleet on-time rank #2740 of 4927.

What the Data Says About DTW to PBI

1,629 tracked flights put the DTW to PBI pairing (Detroit to West Palm Beach/Palm Beach) at a 81% on-time rate, squarely in line with the wider network. Delays that do occur run 71.1 minutes on average. Across the 1,086-mile route and its 2 carriers, the trailing 24 months show 0.9% cancelled and 0.1% diverted (902 flights sampled).

Monthly performance varies moderately here: Mar 2025 was the strongest month at 74% on-time versus Jan 2025 at 69%, a 6-point difference.

On the multi-year calendar, DTW–PBI peaks in September at 95.0% on-time while February carries the heaviest traffic (~48 flights per month) ; the softest month is December at 70.1%, a 24.9-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does DTW to PBI rank among US routes by traffic?
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, DTW to PBI ranks #4057 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 PBI?
Flights from Detroit to West Palm Beach/Palm Beach have a 81% on-time rate based on 1,629 flights. The average delay is 71.1 minutes. The best recent month was Mar 2025 with 74% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for DTW to PBI?
Over the last 24 months, 0.9% of flights on this route were cancelled (8 of 902 flights) and 0.1% were diverted.
How far is the flight from DTW to PBI?
The flight distance from Detroit (DTW) to West Palm Beach/Palm Beach (PBI) is approximately 1,086 miles. This route is served by 2 carriers.
When is the best time to fly from DTW to PBI?
The best recent month for on-time performance was Mar 2025 (74% on-time). The worst was Jan 2025 (69% on-time). Consider booking during months with historically better performance.

Airports on this route

Data source

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

Using DTW–PBI data

DTW–PBI is mid-pack at 81% on-time; month and carrier mix move more than the corridor headline.

  • Compare DTW and PBI airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. DTW airport
  • If your dates flex, September (95.0% on-time) beats December (70.1%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 81% 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.