Route · SFO → DTW · 2020–2025 BTS data
San Francisco to Detroit
The SFO–DTW corridor (San Francisco, CA → Detroit, MI) runs ahead of the national average, served by 4 carriers across roughly 2,079 miles.
Data updated 2026-06-13
- 87.6%
- On-time
- +8.6 pts
- vs US avg
- 71 min
- Delay when late
- 8,164
- Flights
Cancelled
0.8%
Best Month
Apr 2025 93%
Worst Month
Dec 2025 74%
Distance
2,079 mi
Carriers
4
Monthly Performance
Recent 24 months of route data.
| Period | Flights | Delayed | Cancelled | Diverted | Carriers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 2025 | 141 | 37 | 5 | 0 | DL,UA |
| Nov 2025 | 146 | 20 | 1 | 0 | UA,DL |
| Oct 2025 | 154 | 26 | 0 | 0 | DL,UA |
| Sep 2025 | 145 | 23 | 0 | 0 | UA,DL |
| Aug 2025 | 159 | 28 | 1 | 0 | UA,DL |
| Jul 2025 | 190 | 48 | 3 | 1 | DL,UA |
| Jun 2025 | 182 | 40 | 3 | 1 | DL,UA |
| May 2025 | 166 | 35 | 1 | 0 | DL,UA |
| Apr 2025 | 153 | 11 | 0 | 0 | DL,UA |
| Mar 2025 | 138 | 19 | 2 | 1 | DL,UA |
| Feb 2025 | 112 | 13 | 1 | 1 | DL,UA |
| Jan 2025 | 128 | 16 | 0 | 0 | DL,UA |
| Dec 2024 | 146 | 23 | 0 | 0 | DL,UA |
| Nov 2024 | 153 | 29 | 0 | 0 | UA,DL |
| Oct 2024 | 163 | 23 | 0 | 0 | UA,DL |
| Sep 2024 | 158 | 28 | 0 | 0 | UA,DL |
| Aug 2024 | 150 | 30 | 1 | 2 | DL,UA |
| Jul 2024 | 136 | 34 | 7 | 0 | DL |
| Jun 2024 | 117 | 19 | 0 | 0 | DL |
| May 2024 | 110 | 23 | 0 | 0 | DL |
| Apr 2024 | 107 | 26 | 0 | 0 | DL |
| Mar 2024 | 106 | 20 | 0 | 0 | DL |
| Feb 2024 | 85 | 13 | 0 | 0 | DL |
| Jan 2024 | 97 | 14 | 2 | 1 | DL,F9 |
Cancellation Rate
0.8%
27 of 3,342 flights
Diversion Rate
0.2%
7 of 3,342 flights
Explore origin & destination
On-time and delay data for the airports this route connects.
SFO - San Francisco
Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for San Francisco, CA.
Origin airport →DTW - Detroit
Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Detroit, MI.
Destination airport →Compare the two airports
See SFO and DTW side by side on delays, cancellations, and reliability.
Open comparison tool →Similar routes
Other BTS-tracked routes with comparable performance or trip length to SFO–DTW.
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What the Data Says About SFO to DTW
San Francisco to Detroit (SFO to DTW) is one of the more dependable pairings in the BTS On-Time Performance dataset: a 87.6% on-time rate across 8,164 flights, with delays that do happen averaging 70.7 minutes. The corridor runs roughly 2,079 miles and is served by 4 carriers. Over the most recent 24 months, 27 of 3,342 flights were cancelled (0.8%) and 7 diverted (0.2%).
The monthly split is wide on this route: Apr 2025 posted the strongest performance at 93% on-time, while Dec 2025 came in at just 74% - a 19-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often are flights delayed from SFO to DTW? ▼
What is the cancellation rate for SFO to DTW? ▼
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Flight Guides
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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.
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.