Route · PDX → DTW · 2020–2025 BTS data
Portland to Detroit
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), PDX to DTW (Portland to Detroit) ranks #4360 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).
Data updated 2026-06-13
- 87.8%
- On-time
- +8.8 pts
- vs US avg
- 66 min
- Delay when late
- 1,193
- Flights
- #4360 of 4927
- Corpus placement
Cancelled
0.9%
Best Month
Aug 2022 90%
Worst Month
Jul 2025 72%
Distance
1,953 mi
Carriers
1
Monthly Performance
Recent 24 months of route data.
| Period | Flights | Delayed | Cancelled | Diverted | Carriers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 2025 | 31 | 12 | 1 | 0 | DL |
| Oct 2025 | 48 | 5 | 0 | 0 | DL |
| Sep 2025 | 42 | 6 | 0 | 0 | DL |
| Aug 2025 | 50 | 12 | 0 | 0 | DL |
| Jul 2025 | 57 | 16 | 0 | 0 | DL |
| Jun 2025 | 50 | 10 | 1 | 0 | DL |
| May 2025 | 31 | 4 | 0 | 0 | DL |
| Nov 2024 | 33 | 1 | 0 | 0 | DL |
| Oct 2024 | 43 | 2 | 0 | 0 | DL |
| Sep 2024 | 40 | 2 | 0 | 0 | DL |
| Aug 2024 | 45 | 5 | 0 | 1 | DL |
| Jul 2024 | 46 | 8 | 3 | 0 | DL |
| Jun 2024 | 42 | 9 | 0 | 0 | DL |
| Oct 2023 | 47 | 2 | 0 | 0 | DL |
| Sep 2023 | 49 | 2 | 0 | 0 | DL |
| Aug 2023 | 62 | 7 | 1 | 1 | DL |
| Jul 2023 | 60 | 12 | 1 | 0 | DL |
| Oct 2022 | 31 | 3 | 0 | 0 | DL |
| Sep 2022 | 34 | 2 | 0 | 1 | DL |
| Aug 2022 | 58 | 6 | 2 | 1 | DL |
| Jul 2022 | 47 | 4 | 0 | 0 | DL |
| May 2022 | 31 | 0 | 0 | 0 | DL |
| Apr 2022 | 30 | 4 | 0 | 0 | DL |
| Nov 2020 | 47 | 5 | 0 | 0 | DL |
PDX–DTW seasonal on-time pattern
Best: May (93.5%) · weakest: December (61.3%)
Strongest calendar month
May
93.5% on-time · ~31 flights/mo
Busiest calendar month
August
~49 flights/mo avg
Weakest calendar month
December
61.3% on-time · ~31 flights/mo
Cancellation Rate
0.9%
9 of 1,054 flights
Diversion Rate
0.4%
4 of 1,054 flights
Explore origin & destination
On-time and delay data for the airports this route connects.
PDX - Portland
Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Portland, OR.
PDX on-time profileDTW - Detroit
Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Detroit, MI.
DTW on-time profileCompare the two airports
See PDX and DTW side by side on delays, cancellations, and reliability.
Compare PDX vs DTWOrigin-hub reliability standing
Among PDX's stronger departures
PDX → DTW posts a 87.8% on-time rate, landing in the ≥85% band with 26 of 44 BTS-tracked routes leaving Portland. The same hub also shows 17 mid-band and 1 challenged departures · fleet-wide on-time rank #462 of 4927 (highest on-time = #1).
Similar routes
Other BTS-tracked routes with comparable performance or trip length to PDX–DTW.
Routes with a similar on-time rate
What the Data Says About PDX to DTW
Portland to Detroit (PDX to DTW) is one of the more dependable pairings in the BTS On-Time Performance dataset: a 87.8% on-time rate across 1,193 flights, with delays that do happen averaging 66.0 minutes. The corridor runs roughly 1,953 miles and is served by 1 carrier. Over the most recent 24 months, 9 of 1,054 flights were cancelled (0.9%) and 4 diverted (0.4%).
The monthly split is wide on this route: Aug 2022 posted the strongest performance at 90% on-time, while Jul 2025 came in at just 72% - a 18-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.
On the multi-year calendar, PDX–DTW peaks in May at 93.5% on-time while August carries the heaviest traffic (~49 flights per month) ; the softest month is December at 61.3%, a 32.2-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does PDX to DTW rank among US routes by traffic? ▼
How often are flights delayed from PDX to DTW? ▼
What is the cancellation rate for PDX to DTW? ▼
How far is the flight from PDX to DTW? ▼
When is the best time to fly from PDX to DTW? ▼
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 PDX–DTW data
PDX–DTW runs 8.8 pts above the national 79% average; the remaining risk is month-to-month swing and carrier mix, not a weak headline rate.
- Compare PDX and DTW airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. PDX airport
- If your dates flex, May (93.5% on-time) beats December (61.3%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
- 4 other routes post a similar 87.8% 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.
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.