PlainFlights

Route · SEA → DTW · 2020–2025 BTS data

Seattle to Detroit

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), SEA to DTW (Seattle to Detroit) ranks #959 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

86.7%
On-time
+7.7 pts
vs US avg
63 min
Delay when late
11,564
Flights
#959 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

0.7%

Best Month

Oct 2024 94%

Worst Month

Jul 2024 71%

Distance

1,927 mi

Carriers

3

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 164 33 2 0 DL,AS
Nov 2025 155 17 0 3 DL,AS
Oct 2025 157 12 0 0 AS,DL
Sep 2025 176 28 0 0 DL,AS
Aug 2025 214 53 2 0 AS,DL
Jul 2025 228 53 4 3 AS,DL
Jun 2025 218 40 1 0 AS,DL
May 2025 197 33 0 0 AS,DL
Apr 2025 147 16 0 0 DL,AS
Mar 2025 141 11 0 0 AS,DL
Feb 2025 108 9 1 0 AS,DL
Jan 2025 122 12 0 0 AS,DL
Dec 2024 153 16 0 0 AS,DL
Nov 2024 147 12 0 0 AS,DL
Oct 2024 161 10 0 0 AS,DL
Sep 2024 207 34 0 0 AS,DL
Aug 2024 223 49 1 1 AS,DL
Jul 2024 234 69 9 0 AS,DL
Jun 2024 222 47 0 0 AS,DL
May 2024 193 49 0 2 AS,DL
Apr 2024 147 13 1 0 AS,DL
Mar 2024 142 14 0 0 AS,DL
Feb 2024 120 8 0 0 AS,DL
Jan 2024 131 23 7 1 AS,DL

SEA–DTW seasonal on-time pattern

Best: October (90.9%) · weakest: June (82.3%)

80%82%84%86%88%90%92% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 83.1%

Strongest calendar month

October

90.9% on-time · ~160 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

July

~205 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

June

82.3% on-time · ~188 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

0.7%

28 of 4,107 flights

Diversion Rate

0.2%

10 of 4,107 flights

Explore origin & destination

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

SEA - Seattle

Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Seattle, WA.

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

Compare SEA vs DTW

Origin-hub reliability standing

Among SEA's stronger departures

SEA → DTW posts a 86.7% on-time rate, landing in the ≥85% band with 25 of 89 BTS-tracked routes leaving Seattle. The same hub also shows 63 mid-band and 1 challenged departures · fleet-wide on-time rank #718 of 4927 (highest on-time = #1).

What the Data Says About SEA to DTW

Seattle to Detroit (SEA to DTW) is one of the more dependable pairings in the BTS On-Time Performance dataset: a 86.7% on-time rate across 11,564 flights, with delays that do happen averaging 62.5 minutes. The corridor runs roughly 1,927 miles and is served by 3 carriers. Over the most recent 24 months, 28 of 4,107 flights were cancelled (0.7%) and 10 diverted (0.2%).

The monthly split is wide on this route: Oct 2024 posted the strongest performance at 94% on-time, while Jul 2024 came in at just 71% - a 23-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, SEA–DTW peaks in October at 90.9% on-time while July carries the heaviest traffic (~205 flights per month) ; the softest month is June at 82.3%, a 8.6-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does SEA to DTW rank among US routes by traffic? ▼
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, SEA to DTW ranks #959 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 SEA to DTW? ▼
Flights from Seattle to Detroit have a 86.7% on-time rate based on 11,564 flights. The average delay is 62.5 minutes. The best recent month was Oct 2024 with 94% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for SEA to DTW? ▼
Over the last 24 months, 0.7% of flights on this route were cancelled (28 of 4,107 flights) and 0.2% were diverted.
How far is the flight from SEA to DTW? ▼
The flight distance from Seattle (SEA) to Detroit (DTW) is approximately 1,927 miles. This route is served by 3 carriers.
When is the best time to fly from SEA to DTW? ▼
The best recent month for on-time performance was Oct 2024 (94% on-time). The worst was Jul 2024 (71% on-time). Consider booking during months with historically better performance.

Airports on this route

SEA Airport

Seattle
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 SEA–DTW data

SEA–DTW runs 7.7 pts above the national 79% average; the remaining risk is month-to-month swing and carrier mix, not a weak headline rate.

  • Compare SEA and DTW airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. SEA airport
  • If your dates flex, October (90.9% on-time) beats June (82.3%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 86.7% 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.