Route · ORF → DTW · 2020–2025 BTS data
Norfolk to Detroit
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), ORF to DTW (Norfolk to Detroit) ranks #2387 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
- 103 min
- Delay when late
- 5,259
- Flights
- #2387 of 4927
- Corpus placement
Cancelled
0.8%
Best Month
Mar 2024 94%
Worst Month
Dec 2025 62%
Distance
529 mi
Carriers
22
Monthly Performance
Recent 24 months of route data.
| Period | Flights | Delayed | Cancelled | Diverted | Carriers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 2025 | 55 | 21 | 3 | 0 | DL,OO |
| Nov 2025 | 51 | 8 | 0 | 0 | DL |
| Oct 2025 | 63 | 5 | 0 | 0 | OO,DL |
| Sep 2025 | 68 | 13 | 0 | 0 | OO,DL,NK |
| Aug 2025 | 65 | 9 | 0 | 0 | NK,DL |
| Jul 2025 | 78 | 23 | 2 | 0 | OO,DL,NK |
| Jun 2025 | 70 | 13 | 1 | 0 | DL,NK,OO |
| May 2025 | 48 | 5 | 0 | 0 | OO,NK |
| Apr 2025 | 37 | 2 | 0 | 0 | OO |
| Mar 2025 | 77 | 17 | 0 | 0 | OO |
| Feb 2025 | 50 | 10 | 2 | 0 | OO |
| Jan 2025 | 52 | 17 | 2 | 0 | OO,YX |
| Dec 2024 | 64 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 9E,OO,YX |
| Nov 2024 | 82 | 10 | 0 | 0 | OO,9E |
| Oct 2024 | 86 | 12 | 0 | 0 | OO,9E |
| Sep 2024 | 74 | 9 | 0 | 0 | OO,9E |
| Aug 2024 | 77 | 17 | 0 | 0 | DL,9E,OO |
| Jul 2024 | 86 | 25 | 1 | 0 | 9E,DL,OO |
| Jun 2024 | 79 | 19 | 1 | 0 | 9E,OO |
| May 2024 | 78 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 9E |
| Apr 2024 | 58 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 9E |
| Mar 2024 | 54 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 9E |
| Feb 2024 | 45 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 9E |
| Jan 2024 | 50 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 9E,DL |
ORF–DTW seasonal on-time pattern
Best: May (92.2%) · weakest: July (80.5%)
Strongest calendar month
May
92.2% on-time · ~69 flights/mo
Busiest calendar month
July
~84 flights/mo avg
Weakest calendar month
July
80.5% on-time · ~84 flights/mo
Cancellation Rate
0.8%
13 of 1,547 flights
Diversion Rate
0.1%
1 of 1,547 flights
Explore origin & destination
On-time and delay data for the airports this route connects.
ORF - Norfolk
Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Norfolk, VA.
ORF on-time profileDTW - Detroit
Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Detroit, MI.
DTW on-time profileCompare the two airports
See ORF and DTW side by side on delays, cancellations, and reliability.
Compare ORF vs DTWOrigin-hub reliability standing
Among ORF's stronger departures
ORF → DTW posts a 86.6% on-time rate, landing in the ≥85% band with 5 of 20 BTS-tracked routes leaving Norfolk. The same hub also shows 14 mid-band and 1 challenged departures · fleet-wide on-time rank #744 of 4927 (highest on-time = #1).
Similar routes
Other BTS-tracked routes with comparable performance or trip length to ORF–DTW.
Routes with a similar on-time rate
What the Data Says About ORF to DTW
Norfolk to Detroit (ORF to DTW) is one of the more dependable pairings in the BTS On-Time Performance dataset: a 86.6% on-time rate across 5,259 flights, with delays that do happen averaging 103.4 minutes. The corridor runs roughly 529 miles and is served by 22 carriers. Over the most recent 24 months, 13 of 1,547 flights were cancelled (0.8%) and 1 diverted (0.1%).
The monthly split is wide on this route: Mar 2024 posted the strongest performance at 94% on-time, while Dec 2025 came in at just 62% - a 33-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.
On the multi-year calendar, ORF–DTW peaks in May at 92.2% on-time while July carries the heaviest traffic (~84 flights per month) ; the softest month is July at 80.5%, a 11.7-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does ORF to DTW rank among US routes by traffic? ▼
How often are flights delayed from ORF to DTW? ▼
What is the cancellation rate for ORF to DTW? ▼
How far is the flight from ORF to DTW? ▼
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Airports on this route
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 ORF–DTW data
ORF–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 ORF and DTW airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. ORF airport
- If your dates flex, May (92.2% on-time) beats July (80.5%) 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.
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.