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Route · MSN → DTW · 2020–2025 BTS data

Madison to Detroit

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), MSN to DTW (Madison to Detroit) ranks #1697 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

88.8%
On-time
+9.8 pts
vs US avg
98 min
Delay when late
7,461
Flights
#1697 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

0.4%

Best Month

Oct 2024 94%

Worst Month

Dec 2025 63%

Distance

311 mi

Carriers

19

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 88 33 2 0 DL,OO
Nov 2025 65 13 0 0 OO,DL
Oct 2025 114 7 0 0 OO,DL
Sep 2025 86 8 0 0 OO,DL
Aug 2025 88 11 0 0 OO,DL
Jul 2025 84 14 0 1 DL,OO,YX
Jun 2025 86 9 0 0 DL,OO
May 2025 97 6 0 0 DL,OO
Apr 2025 116 12 0 0 DL,OO
Mar 2025 119 16 0 0 DL,OO
Feb 2025 106 20 0 0 OO
Jan 2025 114 19 0 0 OO,YX,DL
Dec 2024 109 25 1 0 9E,DL,OO,YX
Nov 2024 107 10 1 0 OO,YX,DL
Oct 2024 115 7 0 0 OO,DL,9E
Sep 2024 112 9 0 0 OO,9E,DL
Aug 2024 117 16 0 1 DL,9E,OO
Jul 2024 116 19 2 0 9E,DL,OO
Jun 2024 114 16 0 1 9E,DL,OO
May 2024 120 20 0 0 DL,OO
Apr 2024 116 16 1 0 DL,OO
Mar 2024 110 13 0 0 DL,OO
Feb 2024 78 7 0 0 DL,OO
Jan 2024 88 18 4 0 9E,DL,YX,OO

MSN–DTW seasonal on-time pattern

Best: October (93.4%) · weakest: December (82.7%)

80%85%90%95% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 82.7%

Strongest calendar month

October

93.4% on-time · ~116 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

March

~116 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

December

82.7% on-time · ~103 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

0.4%

11 of 2,465 flights

Diversion Rate

0.1%

3 of 2,465 flights

Explore origin & destination

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

MSN - Madison

Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Madison, WI.

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

Compare MSN vs DTW

Origin-hub reliability standing

Among MSN's stronger departures

MSN → DTW posts a 88.8% on-time rate, landing in the ≥85% band with 5 of 12 BTS-tracked routes leaving Madison. The same hub also shows 7 mid-band and 0 challenged departures · fleet-wide on-time rank #280 of 4927 (highest on-time = #1).

What the Data Says About MSN to DTW

Madison to Detroit (MSN to DTW) is one of the more dependable pairings in the BTS On-Time Performance dataset: a 88.8% on-time rate across 7,461 flights, with delays that do happen averaging 98.1 minutes. The corridor runs roughly 311 miles and is served by 19 carriers. Over the most recent 24 months, 11 of 2,465 flights were cancelled (0.4%) and 3 diverted (0.1%).

The monthly split is wide on this route: Oct 2024 posted the strongest performance at 94% on-time, while Dec 2025 came in at just 63% - a 31-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, MSN–DTW peaks in October at 93.4% on-time while March carries the heaviest traffic (~116 flights per month) ; the softest month is December at 82.7%, a 10.7-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does MSN to DTW rank among US routes by traffic? ▼
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, MSN to DTW ranks #1697 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 MSN to DTW? ▼
Flights from Madison to Detroit have a 88.8% on-time rate based on 7,461 flights. The average delay is 98.1 minutes. The best recent month was Oct 2024 with 94% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for MSN to DTW? ▼
Over the last 24 months, 0.4% of flights on this route were cancelled (11 of 2,465 flights) and 0.1% were diverted.
How far is the flight from MSN to DTW? ▼
The flight distance from Madison (MSN) to Detroit (DTW) is approximately 311 miles. This route is served by 19 carriers.
When is the best time to fly from MSN to DTW? ▼
The best recent month for on-time performance was Oct 2024 (94% on-time). The worst was Dec 2025 (63% on-time). Consider booking during months with historically better performance.

Airports on this route

MSN Airport

Madison
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 MSN–DTW data

MSN–DTW runs 9.8 pts above the national 79% average; the remaining risk is month-to-month swing and carrier mix, not a weak headline rate.

  • Compare MSN and DTW airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. MSN airport
  • If your dates flex, October (93.4% on-time) beats December (82.7%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 88.8% 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.