PlainFlights

Route · SDF → DTW · 2020–2025 BTS data

Louisville to Detroit

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), SDF to DTW (Louisville to Detroit) ranks #1965 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

87.3%
On-time
+8.3 pts
vs US avg
91 min
Delay when late
6,389
Flights
#1965 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

0.4%

Best Month

Oct 2024 96%

Worst Month

Dec 2025 65%

Distance

306 mi

Carriers

17

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 88 31 1 0 YX,OO
Nov 2025 107 13 2 0 OO,YX
Oct 2025 105 6 0 0 OO,YX
Sep 2025 73 5 0 0 OO,YX
Aug 2025 123 10 0 0 OO,YX,NK
Jul 2025 124 29 0 0 OO,YX,NK
Jun 2025 119 20 1 0 NK,OO,YX
May 2025 118 22 0 0 OO,YX,DL
Apr 2025 103 9 0 0 OO,YX
Mar 2025 88 11 0 0 OO,YX
Feb 2025 78 6 0 1 YX
Jan 2025 88 13 4 1 OO,YX
Dec 2024 106 9 0 0 OO,YX
Nov 2024 109 9 0 0 OO,YX
Oct 2024 114 4 0 0 OO,YX,9E
Sep 2024 111 11 0 0 YX,OO
Aug 2024 116 27 2 0 YX,9E,OO
Jul 2024 116 16 0 0 OO,YX
Jun 2024 114 24 0 0 OO,YX
May 2024 119 19 0 0 9E,OO,YX
Apr 2024 106 9 0 1 9E,OO,YX
Mar 2024 86 7 0 0 YX,OO
Feb 2024 69 6 0 0 9E,OO,YX
Jan 2024 70 23 0 0 9E,YX,OO

SDF–DTW seasonal on-time pattern

Best: September (92.4%) · weakest: January (80.1%)

75%80%85%90%95% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 83%

Strongest calendar month

September

92.4% on-time · ~87 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

August

~99 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

January

80.1% on-time · ~86 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

0.4%

10 of 2,450 flights

Diversion Rate

0.1%

3 of 2,450 flights

Explore origin & destination

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

SDF - Louisville

Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Louisville, KY.

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

Compare SDF vs DTW

Origin-hub reliability standing

Among SDF's stronger departures

SDF → DTW posts a 87.3% on-time rate, landing in the ≥85% band with 9 of 23 BTS-tracked routes leaving Louisville. The same hub also shows 13 mid-band and 1 challenged departures · fleet-wide on-time rank #577 of 4927 (highest on-time = #1).

What the Data Says About SDF to DTW

Louisville to Detroit (SDF to DTW) is one of the more dependable pairings in the BTS On-Time Performance dataset: a 87.3% on-time rate across 6,389 flights, with delays that do happen averaging 90.5 minutes. The corridor runs roughly 306 miles and is served by 17 carriers. Over the most recent 24 months, 10 of 2,450 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 96% on-time, while Dec 2025 came in at just 65% - a 32-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, SDF–DTW peaks in September at 92.4% on-time while August carries the heaviest traffic (~99 flights per month) ; the softest month is January at 80.1%, a 12.3-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does SDF to DTW rank among US routes by traffic? ▼
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, SDF to DTW ranks #1965 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 SDF to DTW? ▼
Flights from Louisville to Detroit have a 87.3% on-time rate based on 6,389 flights. The average delay is 90.5 minutes. The best recent month was Oct 2024 with 96% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for SDF to DTW? ▼
Over the last 24 months, 0.4% of flights on this route were cancelled (10 of 2,450 flights) and 0.1% were diverted.
How far is the flight from SDF to DTW? ▼
The flight distance from Louisville (SDF) to Detroit (DTW) is approximately 306 miles. This route is served by 17 carriers.
When is the best time to fly from SDF to DTW? ▼
The best recent month for on-time performance was Oct 2024 (96% on-time). The worst was Dec 2025 (65% on-time). Consider booking during months with historically better performance.

Airports on this route

SDF Airport

Louisville
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 SDF–DTW data

SDF–DTW runs 8.3 pts above the national 79% average; the remaining risk is month-to-month swing and carrier mix, not a weak headline rate.

  • Compare SDF and DTW airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. SDF airport
  • If your dates flex, September (92.4% on-time) beats January (80.1%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 87.3% 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.