Route · DTW → SFO · 2020–2025 BTS data
Detroit to San Francisco
The DTW–SFO corridor (Detroit, MI → San Francisco, CA) runs ahead of the national average, served by 4 carriers across roughly 2,079 miles.
Data updated 2026-06-13
- 82.1%
- On-time
- +3.1 pts
- vs US avg
- 65 min
- Delay when late
- 8,169
- Flights
Cancelled
0.8%
Best Month
Sep 2025 94%
Worst Month
Dec 2025 55%
Distance
2,079 mi
Carriers
4
Monthly Performance
Recent 24 months of route data.
| Period | Flights | Delayed | Cancelled | Diverted | Carriers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 2025 | 141 | 64 | 5 | 0 | DL,UA |
| Nov 2025 | 146 | 42 | 1 | 0 | UA,DL |
| Oct 2025 | 154 | 31 | 0 | 0 | DL,UA |
| Sep 2025 | 145 | 9 | 0 | 0 | UA,DL |
| Aug 2025 | 160 | 38 | 1 | 0 | UA,DL |
| Jul 2025 | 190 | 52 | 3 | 1 | DL,UA |
| Jun 2025 | 182 | 30 | 2 | 1 | DL,UA |
| May 2025 | 166 | 19 | 1 | 1 | DL,UA |
| Apr 2025 | 153 | 19 | 0 | 1 | DL,UA |
| Mar 2025 | 138 | 37 | 2 | 0 | DL,UA |
| Feb 2025 | 113 | 48 | 1 | 0 | DL,UA |
| Jan 2025 | 127 | 25 | 0 | 0 | DL,UA |
| Dec 2024 | 147 | 38 | 0 | 0 | DL,UA |
| Nov 2024 | 153 | 47 | 0 | 0 | UA,DL |
| Oct 2024 | 163 | 20 | 0 | 0 | UA,DL |
| Sep 2024 | 158 | 19 | 0 | 0 | UA,DL |
| Aug 2024 | 150 | 39 | 1 | 0 | DL,UA |
| Jul 2024 | 136 | 37 | 9 | 0 | DL |
| Jun 2024 | 117 | 35 | 0 | 0 | DL |
| May 2024 | 110 | 47 | 0 | 0 | DL |
| Apr 2024 | 108 | 33 | 0 | 0 | DL |
| Mar 2024 | 106 | 35 | 0 | 1 | DL |
| Feb 2024 | 85 | 13 | 0 | 2 | DL |
| Jan 2024 | 96 | 20 | 2 | 0 | DL,F9 |
Cancellation Rate
0.8%
28 of 3,344 flights
Diversion Rate
0.2%
7 of 3,344 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.
Origin airport →SFO - San Francisco
Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for San Francisco, CA.
Destination airport →Compare the two airports
See DTW and SFO side by side on delays, cancellations, and reliability.
Open comparison tool →Similar routes
Other BTS-tracked routes with comparable performance or trip length to DTW–SFO.
Routes with a similar on-time rate
What the Data Says About DTW to SFO
Bureau of Transportation Statistics records show Detroit to San Francisco (DTW to SFO) running a 82.1% on-time rate over 8,169 tracked flights, on the stronger end of a typical domestic pairing. When flights do run late, the average delay is 64.5 minutes. The 2,079-mile corridor is served by 4 carriers, and over the last 24 months 0.8% of 3,344 flights were cancelled, 0.2% diverted.
The monthly split is wide on this route: Sep 2025 posted the strongest performance at 94% on-time, while Dec 2025 came in at just 55% - a 39-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often are flights delayed from DTW to SFO? ▼
What is the cancellation rate for DTW to SFO? ▼
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Flight Guides
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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.
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.