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Route · MBS → DTW · 2020–2025 BTS data

Saginaw/Bay City/Midland to Detroit

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), MBS to DTW (Saginaw/Bay City/Midland to Detroit) ranks #1944 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

87%
On-time
+8 pts
vs US avg
104 min
Delay when late
6,438
Flights
#1944 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

0.9%

Best Month

May 2025 95%

Worst Month

Dec 2025 54%

Distance

98 mi

Carriers

4

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 69 32 3 0 OO
Nov 2025 112 19 4 0 OO
Oct 2025 118 16 0 0 OO
Sep 2025 116 11 0 0 OO
Aug 2025 118 20 0 0 OO
Jul 2025 115 26 1 0 OO
Jun 2025 114 24 1 0 OO
May 2025 118 6 0 0 OO
Apr 2025 102 20 1 0 OO
Mar 2025 88 12 2 0 OO
Feb 2025 78 23 2 0 OO
Jan 2025 87 20 1 0 OO
Dec 2024 104 33 1 0 OO
Nov 2024 103 18 0 0 OO
Oct 2024 112 13 0 0 OO
Sep 2024 102 7 0 0 OO
Aug 2024 107 21 0 0 9E,OO
Jul 2024 103 18 0 0 9E,OO
Jun 2024 100 26 0 0 9E,OO
May 2024 88 10 0 0 9E,OO
Apr 2024 86 9 0 0 9E,OO
Mar 2024 88 8 0 0 OO
Feb 2024 78 4 0 0 OO
Jan 2024 82 31 6 0 OO

MBS–DTW seasonal on-time pattern

Best: May (92.9%) · weakest: January (78.8%)

75%80%85%90%95% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 81.6%

Strongest calendar month

May

92.9% on-time · ~85 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

August

~100 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

January

78.8% on-time · ~82 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

0.9%

22 of 2,388 flights

Diversion Rate

0.0%

0 of 2,388 flights

Explore origin & destination

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

MBS - Saginaw/Bay City/Midland

Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Saginaw/Bay City/Midland, MI.

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

Compare MBS vs DTW

Origin-hub reliability standing

Among MBS's stronger departures

MBS → DTW posts a 87% on-time rate, landing in the ≥85% band with 1 of 2 BTS-tracked routes leaving Saginaw/Bay City/Midland. The same hub also shows 1 mid-band and 0 challenged departures · fleet-wide on-time rank #634 of 4927 (highest on-time = #1).

What the Data Says About MBS to DTW

Saginaw/Bay City/Midland to Detroit (MBS to DTW) is one of the more dependable pairings in the BTS On-Time Performance dataset: a 87% on-time rate across 6,438 flights, with delays that do happen averaging 103.8 minutes. The corridor runs roughly 98 miles and is served by 4 carriers. Over the most recent 24 months, 22 of 2,388 flights were cancelled (0.9%) and 0 diverted (0.0%).

The monthly split is wide on this route: May 2025 posted the strongest performance at 95% on-time, while Dec 2025 came in at just 54% - a 41-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, MBS–DTW peaks in May at 92.9% on-time while August carries the heaviest traffic (~100 flights per month) ; the softest month is January at 78.8%, a 14.1-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does MBS to DTW rank among US routes by traffic? ▼
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, MBS to DTW ranks #1944 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 MBS to DTW? ▼
Flights from Saginaw/Bay City/Midland to Detroit have a 87% on-time rate based on 6,438 flights. The average delay is 103.8 minutes. The best recent month was May 2025 with 95% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for MBS to DTW? ▼
Over the last 24 months, 0.9% of flights on this route were cancelled (22 of 2,388 flights) and 0.0% were diverted.
How far is the flight from MBS to DTW? ▼
The flight distance from Saginaw/Bay City/Midland (MBS) to Detroit (DTW) is approximately 98 miles. This route is served by 4 carriers.
When is the best time to fly from MBS to DTW? ▼
The best recent month for on-time performance was May 2025 (95% on-time). The worst was Dec 2025 (54% on-time). Consider booking during months with historically better performance.

Airports on this route

MBS Airport

Saginaw/Bay City/Midland
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 MBS–DTW data

MBS–DTW runs 8 pts above the national 79% average; the remaining risk is month-to-month swing and carrier mix, not a weak headline rate.

  • Compare MBS and DTW airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. MBS airport
  • If your dates flex, May (92.9% on-time) beats January (78.8%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 87% 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.