PlainFlights

Route · MDW → DTW · 2020–2025 BTS data

Chicago to Detroit

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), MDW to DTW (Chicago to Detroit) ranks #998 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

80.8%
On-time
+1.8 pts
vs US avg
67 min
Delay when late
11,336
Flights
#998 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

0.9%

Best Month

Nov 2025 91%

Worst Month

Dec 2025 66%

Distance

228 mi

Carriers

9

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 89 30 0 0 WN
Nov 2025 99 9 6 0 OO,WN
Oct 2025 154 23 0 0 OO,WN
Sep 2025 150 19 0 0 WN,OO
Aug 2025 159 37 3 0 OO,WN
Jul 2025 153 49 3 0 OO,WN
Jun 2025 155 38 0 0 OO,WN
May 2025 180 33 0 0 OO,WN
Apr 2025 174 21 1 0 OO,WN
Mar 2025 176 36 2 0 OO,WN
Feb 2025 158 20 2 0 OO,WN
Jan 2025 172 45 2 0 OO,WN
Dec 2024 166 38 2 0 OO,WN
Nov 2024 167 20 1 0 OO,WN
Oct 2024 182 18 0 0 OO,WN
Sep 2024 179 18 0 0 WN,OO
Aug 2024 184 39 0 0 WN,OO
Jul 2024 175 53 2 0 OO,WN
Jun 2024 173 53 0 0 OO,WN
May 2024 177 46 0 0 OO,WN
Apr 2024 172 32 0 0 OO,WN
Mar 2024 176 39 0 0 OO,WN
Feb 2024 161 19 0 0 OO,WN
Jan 2024 171 52 12 0 WN,OO

MDW–DTW seasonal on-time pattern

Best: February (86.8%) · weakest: July (72.1%)

70%75%80%85%90% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 80.2%

Strongest calendar month

February

86.8% on-time · ~143 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

August

~175 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

July

72.1% on-time · ~167 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

0.9%

36 of 3,902 flights

Diversion Rate

0.0%

0 of 3,902 flights

Explore origin & destination

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

MDW - Chicago

Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Chicago, IL.

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

Compare MDW vs DTW

Origin-hub reliability standing

Mid-pack among MDW departures

From MDW, this corridor sits with 51 other 75–85% on-time routes out of 69 tracked departures, not the hub's reliability leaders (0 at ≥85%) and not the softest ( 18 below 75%). Destination: Detroit · fleet on-time rank #2821 of 4927.

What the Data Says About MDW to DTW

11,336 tracked flights put the MDW to DTW pairing (Chicago to Detroit) at a 80.8% on-time rate, squarely in line with the wider network. Delays that do occur run 66.8 minutes on average. Across the 228-mile route and its 9 carriers, the trailing 24 months show 0.9% cancelled and 0.0% diverted (3,902 flights sampled).

The monthly split is wide on this route: Nov 2025 posted the strongest performance at 91% on-time, while Dec 2025 came in at just 66% - a 25-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, MDW–DTW peaks in February at 86.8% on-time while August carries the heaviest traffic (~175 flights per month) ; the softest month is July at 72.1%, a 14.7-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does MDW to DTW rank among US routes by traffic? ▼
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, MDW to DTW ranks #998 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 MDW to DTW? ▼
Flights from Chicago to Detroit have a 80.8% on-time rate based on 11,336 flights. The average delay is 66.8 minutes. The best recent month was Nov 2025 with 91% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for MDW to DTW? ▼
Over the last 24 months, 0.9% of flights on this route were cancelled (36 of 3,902 flights) and 0.0% were diverted.
How far is the flight from MDW to DTW? ▼
The flight distance from Chicago (MDW) to Detroit (DTW) is approximately 228 miles. This route is served by 9 carriers.
When is the best time to fly from MDW to DTW? ▼
The best recent month for on-time performance was Nov 2025 (91% on-time). The worst was Dec 2025 (66% on-time). Consider booking during months with historically better performance.

Airports on this route

MDW Airport

Chicago
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 MDW–DTW data

MDW–DTW is mid-pack at 80.8% on-time; month and carrier mix move more than the corridor headline.

  • Compare MDW and DTW airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. MDW airport
  • If your dates flex, February (86.8% on-time) beats July (72.1%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 80.8% 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.