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Route · JFK → DTW · 2020–2025 BTS data

New York to Detroit

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), JFK to DTW (New York to Detroit) ranks #1150 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

81.1%
On-time
+2.1 pts
vs US avg
88 min
Delay when late
10,063
Flights
#1150 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

1.5%

Best Month

Sep 2024 93%

Worst Month

Jun 2025 56%

Distance

509 mi

Carriers

18

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 97 28 4 0 B6,DL
Nov 2025 145 22 4 0 DL,B6
Oct 2025 153 28 1 0 B6,DL
Sep 2025 137 18 0 0 DL,B6
Aug 2025 124 30 1 0 B6,DL
Jul 2025 121 49 7 1 B6,DL
Jun 2025 112 49 2 0 B6,DL
May 2025 88 30 0 0 B6,DL
Dec 2024 113 18 0 0 9E,DL,YX
Nov 2024 119 12 0 0 9E,YX,DL
Oct 2024 125 12 0 0 DL,YX,9E
Sep 2024 120 8 0 0 YX,9E,DL
Aug 2024 124 39 7 2 DL,9E
Jul 2024 124 43 4 0 9E,DL
Jun 2024 142 40 1 0 9E,B6,DL
May 2024 182 42 0 1 9E,B6,DL
Apr 2024 180 36 1 0 9E,B6,DL
Mar 2024 156 26 0 0 9E,B6,DL
Feb 2024 145 11 2 0 9E,B6,DL
Jan 2024 152 34 0 0 9E,B6,DL,YX
Dec 2023 178 26 2 1 9E,B6
Nov 2023 204 32 0 0 9E,B6,DL
Oct 2023 217 43 0 0 9E,B6
Sep 2023 210 64 17 1 9E,B6,DL

JFK–DTW seasonal on-time pattern

Best: November (85.7%) · weakest: July (71.1%)

70%75%80%85%90% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 81.3%

Strongest calendar month

November

85.7% on-time · ~157 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

October

~161 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

July

71.1% on-time · ~143 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

1.5%

53 of 3,468 flights

Diversion Rate

0.2%

6 of 3,468 flights

Explore origin & destination

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

JFK - New York

Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for New York, NY.

JFK 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 JFK and DTW side by side on delays, cancellations, and reliability.

Compare JFK vs DTW

Origin-hub reliability standing

Mid-pack among JFK departures

From JFK, this corridor sits with 50 other 75–85% on-time routes out of 66 tracked departures, not the hub's reliability leaders (3 at ≥85%) and not the softest ( 13 below 75%). Destination: Detroit · fleet on-time rank #2702 of 4927.

What the Data Says About JFK to DTW

10,063 tracked flights put the JFK to DTW pairing (New York to Detroit) at a 81.1% on-time rate, squarely in line with the wider network. Delays that do occur run 87.8 minutes on average. Across the 509-mile route and its 18 carriers, the trailing 24 months show 1.5% cancelled and 0.2% diverted (3,468 flights sampled).

The monthly split is wide on this route: Sep 2024 posted the strongest performance at 93% on-time, while Jun 2025 came in at just 56% - a 37-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, JFK–DTW peaks in November at 85.7% on-time while October carries the heaviest traffic (~161 flights per month) ; the softest month is July at 71.1%, a 14.6-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does JFK to DTW rank among US routes by traffic? ▼
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, JFK to DTW ranks #1150 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 JFK to DTW? ▼
Flights from New York to Detroit have a 81.1% on-time rate based on 10,063 flights. The average delay is 87.8 minutes. The best recent month was Sep 2024 with 93% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for JFK to DTW? ▼
Over the last 24 months, 1.5% of flights on this route were cancelled (53 of 3,468 flights) and 0.2% were diverted.
How far is the flight from JFK to DTW? ▼
The flight distance from New York (JFK) to Detroit (DTW) is approximately 509 miles. This route is served by 18 carriers.
When is the best time to fly from JFK to DTW? ▼
The best recent month for on-time performance was Sep 2024 (93% on-time). The worst was Jun 2025 (56% on-time). Consider booking during months with historically better performance.

Airports on this route

JFK Airport

New York
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 JFK–DTW data

JFK–DTW is mid-pack at 81.1% on-time; month and carrier mix move more than the corridor headline.

  • Compare JFK and DTW airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. JFK airport
  • If your dates flex, November (85.7% on-time) beats July (71.1%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 81.1% 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.