Denver (DEN) to Detroit (DTW): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
The calendar drives reliability on DEN–DTW. September 2024 flights landed on schedule 90% of the time, but June 2025 dropped to 67% — a gap of 23 points. Across the full period the route averages 78% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (85% vs 63%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 78%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 15 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 0.4%
- Flights/day
- 8.5
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 2h 50m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 1,123 mi
Best airline from DEN to DTW
4 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delta Air Linesmost reliable | 85% | 11 min | 0.6% | 2,632 |
| United Airlines | 80% | 14 min | 0.1% | 1,517 |
| Frontier Airlines | 78% | 18 min | 0.4% | 856 |
| Southwest Airlines | 63% | 21 min | 0.5% | 1,355 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from DEN to DTW
Aim for departures around 7 a.m. (94% on-time); avoid 6 p.m. departures (51%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 78% | 16 min |
| Tuesday | 80% | 13 min |
| Wednesday | 78% | 14 min |
| Thursday | 77% | 15 min |
| Friday | 77% | 16 min |
| Saturdaybest | 81% | 13 min |
| Sunday | 77% | 16 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft53%
- Airline operations33%
- National airspace system12%
- Weather2%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from DEN to DTW delayed?
- 22% of DEN–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 15 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from DEN to DTW?
- Delta Air Lines has the best on-time record on this route at 85%, based on 2,632 flights. 4 airlines flew DEN–DTW frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from DEN to DTW?
- Departures around 7 a.m. have the best record (94% on-time), while departures around 6 p.m. have the worst (51%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from DEN to DTW?
- The scheduled DEN–DTW flight time averages 2h 50m over 1,123 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 22% of the time.
- How often are DEN to DTW flights cancelled?
- 0.4% 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 DEN to DTW?
- June 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 67% of arrivals on time. The best was September 2024 at 90%. If your dates are flexible, that 23-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 6,362 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.