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Route · LAX → DTW · 2020–2025 BTS data

Los Angeles to Detroit

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), LAX to DTW (Los Angeles to Detroit) ranks #582 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

84.9%
On-time
+5.9 pts
vs US avg
70 min
Delay when late
15,444
Flights
#582 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

0.8%

Best Month

Sep 2024 94%

Worst Month

Dec 2025 75%

Distance

1,979 mi

Carriers

5

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 215 54 6 0 DL,NK,AA
Nov 2025 185 22 2 0 NK,DL
Oct 2025 235 20 1 0 DL,NK
Sep 2025 228 25 0 0 DL,NK
Aug 2025 243 37 1 0 NK,DL
Jul 2025 261 42 1 1 DL,NK
Jun 2025 246 54 2 0 DL,NK
May 2025 231 44 0 0 DL,NK
Apr 2025 233 33 2 2 DL,NK
Mar 2025 219 46 0 1 DL,NK
Feb 2025 177 25 2 1 DL,NK
Jan 2025 219 32 0 0 DL,NK
Dec 2024 222 33 0 0 DL,NK
Nov 2024 207 13 0 1 NK,DL
Oct 2024 224 24 0 0 DL,NK
Sep 2024 246 14 1 0 AA,DL,NK
Aug 2024 282 53 2 1 DL,NK
Jul 2024 291 70 21 0 DL,NK
Jun 2024 274 56 2 0 DL,NK
May 2024 259 55 1 1 DL,NK
Apr 2024 217 22 0 2 DL,NK
Mar 2024 194 26 0 0 DL,NK
Feb 2024 163 16 0 0 DL,NK
Jan 2024 193 37 2 2 DL,NK

LAX–DTW seasonal on-time pattern

Best: September (90.2%) · weakest: June (78.8%)

75%80%85%90%95% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 79.5%

Strongest calendar month

September

90.2% on-time · ~220 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

July

~247 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

June

78.8% on-time · ~224 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

0.8%

46 of 5,464 flights

Diversion Rate

0.2%

12 of 5,464 flights

Explore origin & destination

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

LAX - Los Angeles

Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Los Angeles, CA.

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

Compare LAX vs DTW

Origin-hub reliability standing

Mid-pack among LAX departures

From LAX, this corridor sits with 39 other 75–85% on-time routes out of 80 tracked departures, not the hub's reliability leaders (40 at ≥85%) and not the softest ( 1 below 75%). Destination: Detroit · fleet on-time rank #1258 of 4927.

What the Data Says About LAX to DTW

Bureau of Transportation Statistics records show Los Angeles to Detroit (LAX to DTW) running a 84.9% on-time rate over 15,444 tracked flights, on the stronger end of a typical domestic pairing. When flights do run late, the average delay is 69.7 minutes. The 1,979-mile corridor is served by 5 carriers, and over the last 24 months 0.8% of 5,464 flights were cancelled, 0.2% diverted.

The monthly split is wide on this route: Sep 2024 posted the strongest performance at 94% on-time, while Dec 2025 came in at just 75% - a 19-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, LAX–DTW peaks in September at 90.2% on-time while July carries the heaviest traffic (~247 flights per month) ; the softest month is June at 78.8%, a 11.4-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does LAX to DTW rank among US routes by traffic? ▼
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, LAX to DTW ranks #582 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 LAX to DTW? ▼
Flights from Los Angeles to Detroit have a 84.9% on-time rate based on 15,444 flights. The average delay is 69.7 minutes. The best recent month was Sep 2024 with 94% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for LAX to DTW? ▼
Over the last 24 months, 0.8% of flights on this route were cancelled (46 of 5,464 flights) and 0.2% were diverted.
How far is the flight from LAX to DTW? ▼
The flight distance from Los Angeles (LAX) to Detroit (DTW) is approximately 1,979 miles. This route is served by 5 carriers.
When is the best time to fly from LAX to DTW? ▼
The best recent month for on-time performance was Sep 2024 (94% on-time). The worst was Dec 2025 (75% on-time). Consider booking during months with historically better performance.

Airports on this route

LAX Airport

Los Angeles
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 LAX–DTW data

LAX–DTW runs 5.9 pts above the national 79% average; the remaining risk is month-to-month swing and carrier mix, not a weak headline rate.

  • Compare LAX and DTW airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. LAX airport
  • If your dates flex, September (90.2% on-time) beats June (78.8%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 84.9% 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.