PlainFlights

Route · IAH → DTW · 2020–2025 BTS data

Houston to Detroit

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), IAH to DTW (Houston to Detroit) ranks #639 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

82.1%
On-time
+3.1 pts
vs US avg
86 min
Delay when late
14,651
Flights
#639 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

1.2%

Best Month

Sep 2025 89%

Worst Month

Jul 2024 63%

Distance

1,075 mi

Carriers

35

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 169 34 3 0 DL,F9,NK,UA
Nov 2025 190 34 2 0 UA,DL,F9,NK
Oct 2025 171 21 0 0 UA,DL,NK
Sep 2025 180 19 0 0 UA,DL,NK
Aug 2025 206 45 2 1 NK,UA,DL
Jul 2025 198 47 3 2 DL,UA,NK
Jun 2025 180 47 3 1 DL,UA,NK
May 2025 176 26 1 1 DL,NK,UA
Apr 2025 174 22 0 0 DL,NK,UA
Mar 2025 197 29 0 0 DL,UA,NK
Feb 2025 175 31 0 0 DL,UA,NK
Jan 2025 206 35 9 0 DL,UA,NK
Dec 2024 225 55 3 0 DL,NK,UA
Nov 2024 216 36 0 0 UA,NK,DL
Oct 2024 223 29 0 1 UA,DL,NK
Sep 2024 224 33 0 0 UA,DL,NK
Aug 2024 240 58 1 0 DL,NK,UA
Jul 2024 209 77 15 1 DL,NK,OO,UA
Jun 2024 227 46 2 0 DL,NK,UA
May 2024 210 52 4 1 DL,NK,UA
Apr 2024 188 28 1 0 DL,NK,OO,UA
Mar 2024 172 26 0 0 DL,OO,UA,NK
Feb 2024 153 19 0 0 DL,NK,OO,UA
Jan 2024 161 39 5 1 DL,NK,UA

IAH–DTW seasonal on-time pattern

Best: February (86.8%) · weakest: July (74.6%)

70%75%80%85%90% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 79.8%

Strongest calendar month

February

86.8% on-time · ~198 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

October

~223 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

July

74.6% on-time · ~200 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

1.2%

54 of 4,670 flights

Diversion Rate

0.2%

9 of 4,670 flights

Origin-hub reliability standing

Mid-pack among IAH departures

From IAH, this corridor sits with 79 other 75–85% on-time routes out of 102 tracked departures, not the hub's reliability leaders (17 at ≥85%) and not the softest ( 6 below 75%). Destination: Detroit · fleet on-time rank #2311 of 4927.

What the Data Says About IAH to DTW

Bureau of Transportation Statistics records show Houston to Detroit (IAH to DTW) running a 82.1% on-time rate over 14,651 tracked flights, on the stronger end of a typical domestic pairing. When flights do run late, the average delay is 86.1 minutes. The 1,075-mile corridor is served by 35 carriers, and over the last 24 months 1.2% of 4,670 flights were cancelled, 0.2% diverted.

The monthly split is wide on this route: Sep 2025 posted the strongest performance at 89% on-time, while Jul 2024 came in at just 63% - a 26-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, IAH–DTW peaks in February at 86.8% on-time while October carries the heaviest traffic (~223 flights per month) ; the softest month is July at 74.6%, a 12.2-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does IAH to DTW rank among US routes by traffic?
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, IAH to DTW ranks #639 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 IAH to DTW?
Flights from Houston to Detroit have a 82.1% on-time rate based on 14,651 flights. The average delay is 86.1 minutes. The best recent month was Sep 2025 with 89% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for IAH to DTW?
Over the last 24 months, 1.2% of flights on this route were cancelled (54 of 4,670 flights) and 0.2% were diverted.
How far is the flight from IAH to DTW?
The flight distance from Houston (IAH) to Detroit (DTW) is approximately 1,075 miles. This route is served by 35 carriers.
When is the best time to fly from IAH to DTW?
The best recent month for on-time performance was Sep 2025 (89% on-time). The worst was Jul 2024 (63% 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 IAH–DTW data

IAH–DTW runs 3.1 pts above the national 79% average; the remaining risk is month-to-month swing and carrier mix, not a weak headline rate.

  • Compare IAH and DTW airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. IAH airport
  • If your dates flex, February (86.8% on-time) beats July (74.6%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 82.1% 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.