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Route · MSY → DTW · 2020–2025 BTS data

New Orleans to Detroit

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), MSY to DTW (New Orleans to Detroit) ranks #2522 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

86.6%
On-time
+7.6 pts
vs US avg
82 min
Delay when late
4,901
Flights
#2522 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

1.1%

Best Month

Oct 2024 92%

Worst Month

Jun 2025 72%

Distance

926 mi

Carriers

6

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 62 11 4 0 DL,NK
Nov 2025 76 10 0 0 DL,NK
Oct 2025 92 9 0 0 DL,NK
Sep 2025 51 9 0 0 DL,NK
Aug 2025 57 10 0 0 NK,DL
Jul 2025 71 12 1 0 DL,NK
Jun 2025 72 20 1 1 DL,NK
May 2025 75 13 0 0 NK,DL
Apr 2025 81 11 0 0 DL,NK
Mar 2025 96 15 0 0 DL,NK
Feb 2025 91 21 0 0 DL,NK
Jan 2025 82 11 8 0 DL,NK
Dec 2024 72 19 0 0 DL,NK
Nov 2024 70 13 0 0 NK,DL
Oct 2024 72 6 0 0 DL,NK
Sep 2024 47 8 0 0 DL,NK
Aug 2024 51 6 1 0 DL,NK
Jul 2024 51 12 1 0 DL,NK
Jun 2024 53 7 0 0 DL,NK
May 2024 78 15 0 0 DL,NK
Apr 2024 81 12 0 0 DL,NK
Mar 2024 92 13 0 0 DL,NK
Feb 2024 77 8 0 0 DL,NK
Jan 2024 59 11 2 1 9E,DL

MSY–DTW seasonal on-time pattern

Best: October (91.3%) · weakest: June (83.4%)

82%84%86%88%90%92% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 83.8%

Strongest calendar month

October

91.3% on-time · ~67 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

March

~96 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

June

83.4% on-time · ~68 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

1.1%

18 of 1,709 flights

Diversion Rate

0.1%

2 of 1,709 flights

Explore origin & destination

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

MSY - New Orleans

Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for New Orleans, LA.

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

Compare MSY vs DTW

Origin-hub reliability standing

Among MSY's stronger departures

MSY → DTW posts a 86.6% on-time rate, landing in the ≥85% band with 5 of 34 BTS-tracked routes leaving New Orleans. The same hub also shows 28 mid-band and 1 challenged departures · fleet-wide on-time rank #743 of 4927 (highest on-time = #1).

What the Data Says About MSY to DTW

New Orleans to Detroit (MSY to DTW) is one of the more dependable pairings in the BTS On-Time Performance dataset: a 86.6% on-time rate across 4,901 flights, with delays that do happen averaging 82.2 minutes. The corridor runs roughly 926 miles and is served by 6 carriers. Over the most recent 24 months, 18 of 1,709 flights were cancelled (1.1%) and 2 diverted (0.1%).

The monthly split is wide on this route: Oct 2024 posted the strongest performance at 92% on-time, while Jun 2025 came in at just 72% - a 19-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, MSY–DTW peaks in October at 91.3% on-time while March carries the heaviest traffic (~96 flights per month) ; the softest month is June at 83.4%, a 7.9-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does MSY to DTW rank among US routes by traffic? ▼
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, MSY to DTW ranks #2522 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 MSY to DTW? ▼
Flights from New Orleans to Detroit have a 86.6% on-time rate based on 4,901 flights. The average delay is 82.2 minutes. The best recent month was Oct 2024 with 92% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for MSY to DTW? ▼
Over the last 24 months, 1.1% of flights on this route were cancelled (18 of 1,709 flights) and 0.1% were diverted.
How far is the flight from MSY to DTW? ▼
The flight distance from New Orleans (MSY) to Detroit (DTW) is approximately 926 miles. This route is served by 6 carriers.
When is the best time to fly from MSY to DTW? ▼
The best recent month for on-time performance was Oct 2024 (92% on-time). The worst was Jun 2025 (72% on-time). Consider booking during months with historically better performance.

Airports on this route

MSY Airport

New Orleans
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 MSY–DTW data

MSY–DTW runs 7.6 pts above the national 79% average; the remaining risk is month-to-month swing and carrier mix, not a weak headline rate.

  • Compare MSY and DTW airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. MSY airport
  • If your dates flex, October (91.3% on-time) beats June (83.4%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 86.6% 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.