Buffalo (BUF) to Detroit (DTW): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
When you fly BUF to DTW matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 96% on-time in September 2025 to just 60% in December 2025. Across the full period the route averages 82% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (86% vs 77%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 82%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 18 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.2%
- Flights/day
- 3.3
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 1h 17m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 241 mi
Best airline from BUF to DTW
3 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Endeavor Airmost reliable | 88% | 11 min | 1.1% | 90 |
| Delta Air Lines | 86% | 14 min | 1.6% | 1,067 |
| SkyWest Airlines | 78% | 22 min | 0.8% | 1,256 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from BUF to DTW
Aim for departures around 8 a.m. (91% on-time); avoid 1 p.m. departures (71%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 83% | 14 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 85% | 20 min |
| Wednesday | 84% | 14 min |
| Thursday | 80% | 20 min |
| Friday | 79% | 20 min |
| Saturday | 83% | 15 min |
| Sunday | 78% | 26 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft11%
- Airline operations57%
- National airspace system11%
- Weather21%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from BUF to DTW delayed?
- 18% of BUF–DTW flights arrived 15 or more minutes late (the US DOT definition of a delay) between 2024-07 and 2026-07. The average arrival delay across completed flights was 18 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from BUF to DTW?
- Endeavor Air has the best on-time record on this route at 88%, based on 90 flights. 3 airlines flew BUF–DTW frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from BUF to DTW?
- Departures around 8 a.m. have the best record (91% on-time), while departures around 1 p.m. have the worst (71%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from BUF to DTW?
- The scheduled BUF–DTW flight time averages 1h 17m over 241 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 18% of the time.
- How often are BUF to DTW flights cancelled?
- 1.2% of scheduled flights on this route were cancelled between 2024-07 and 2026-07, at or below the national rate of 1.6%.
- What is the worst month to fly from BUF to DTW?
- December 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 60% of arrivals on time. The best was September 2025 at 96%. If your dates are flexible, that 37-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 2,420 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.