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Route · IND → DTW · 2020–2025 BTS data

Indianapolis to Detroit

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), IND to DTW (Indianapolis to Detroit) ranks #1574 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

89.3%
On-time
+10.3 pts
vs US avg
85 min
Delay when late
7,890
Flights
#1574 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

0.6%

Best Month

Apr 2025 98%

Worst Month

Dec 2025 62%

Distance

231 mi

Carriers

27

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 92 35 4 0 YX,OO
Nov 2025 97 16 5 0 OO,YX
Oct 2025 41 2 0 0 OO
Sep 2025 82 4 0 0 OO
Aug 2025 57 9 0 0 OO,YX
Jul 2025 50 12 0 0 OO,YX
May 2025 37 2 0 0 OO,YX,DL
Apr 2025 56 1 0 0 DL,OO,YX
Mar 2025 47 3 0 0 OO,YX
Dec 2024 139 24 0 0 9E,DL,OO,YX
Nov 2024 133 10 0 0 OO,9E,YX,DL
Oct 2024 145 19 0 0 OO,DL,9E
Sep 2024 140 13 1 0 YX,OO,9E,DL
Aug 2024 139 26 0 0 DL,9E,OO
Jul 2024 135 39 2 0 9E,DL,OO
Jun 2024 132 30 0 0 9E,DL,OO
May 2024 120 16 0 0 9E,DL,OO,YX
Apr 2024 116 6 0 0 9E,DL,OO,YX
Mar 2024 112 13 0 0 9E,DL,OO
Feb 2024 87 10 0 0 9E,DL,OO,YX
Jan 2024 92 24 3 0 9E,DL,YX,OO
Dec 2023 99 6 0 0 DL,YX,9E
Nov 2023 112 7 0 0 9E,DL,YX,OO
Oct 2023 117 6 0 0 9E,DL,OO

IND–DTW seasonal on-time pattern

Best: September (93.5%) · weakest: July (84.7%)

84%86%88%90%92%94% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 87.2%

Strongest calendar month

September

93.5% on-time · ~120 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

January

~129 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

July

84.7% on-time · ~109 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

0.6%

15 of 2,377 flights

Diversion Rate

0.0%

0 of 2,377 flights

Explore origin & destination

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

IND - Indianapolis

Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Indianapolis, IN.

IND on-time profile

DTW - Detroit

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

DTW on-time profile

Compare the two airports

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

Compare IND vs DTW

Origin-hub reliability standing

Among IND's stronger departures

IND → DTW posts a 89.3% on-time rate, landing in the ≥85% band with 12 of 32 BTS-tracked routes leaving Indianapolis. The same hub also shows 20 mid-band and 0 challenged departures · fleet-wide on-time rank #211 of 4927 (highest on-time = #1).

What the Data Says About IND to DTW

Indianapolis to Detroit (IND to DTW) is one of the more dependable pairings in the BTS On-Time Performance dataset: a 89.3% on-time rate across 7,890 flights, with delays that do happen averaging 85.1 minutes. The corridor runs roughly 231 miles and is served by 27 carriers. Over the most recent 24 months, 15 of 2,377 flights were cancelled (0.6%) and 0 diverted (0.0%).

The monthly split is wide on this route: Apr 2025 posted the strongest performance at 98% on-time, while Dec 2025 came in at just 62% - a 36-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, IND–DTW peaks in September at 93.5% on-time while January carries the heaviest traffic (~129 flights per month) ; the softest month is July at 84.7%, a 8.8-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does IND to DTW rank among US routes by traffic? ▼
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, IND to DTW ranks #1574 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 IND to DTW? ▼
Flights from Indianapolis to Detroit have a 89.3% on-time rate based on 7,890 flights. The average delay is 85.1 minutes. The best recent month was Apr 2025 with 98% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for IND to DTW? ▼
Over the last 24 months, 0.6% of flights on this route were cancelled (15 of 2,377 flights) and 0.0% were diverted.
How far is the flight from IND to DTW? ▼
The flight distance from Indianapolis (IND) to Detroit (DTW) is approximately 231 miles. This route is served by 27 carriers.
When is the best time to fly from IND to DTW? ▼
The best recent month for on-time performance was Apr 2025 (98% on-time). The worst was Dec 2025 (62% on-time). Consider booking during months with historically better performance.

Airports on this route

IND Airport

Indianapolis
DTW Airport

Detroit
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 IND–DTW data

IND–DTW runs 10.3 pts above the national 79% average; the remaining risk is month-to-month swing and carrier mix, not a weak headline rate.

  • Compare IND and DTW airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. IND airport
  • If your dates flex, September (93.5% on-time) beats July (84.7%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 89.3% 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.