Detroit (DTW) to Nashville (BNA): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
When you fly DTW to BNA matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 92% on-time in October 2024 to just 60% in December 2025. Across the full period the route averages 81% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (90% vs 72%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 81%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 12 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.0%
- Flights/day
- 6.6
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 1h 40m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 456 mi
Best airline from DTW to BNA
3 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southwest Airlinesmost reliable | 81% | 10 min | 0.5% | 1,692 |
| Delta Air Lines | 81% | 13 min | 1.3% | 2,882 |
| Spirit Airlines | 79% | 15 min | 1.1% | 470 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from DTW to BNA
Aim for departures around 6 a.m. (94% on-time); avoid 9 p.m. departures (66%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 81% | 12 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 85% | 11 min |
| Wednesday | 85% | 10 min |
| Thursday | 81% | 10 min |
| Friday | 77% | 13 min |
| Saturday | 80% | 11 min |
| Sunday | 78% | 14 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft34%
- Airline operations43%
- National airspace system21%
- Weather2%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from DTW to BNA delayed?
- 19% of DTW–BNA 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 12 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from DTW to BNA?
- Southwest Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 81%, based on 1,692 flights. 3 airlines flew DTW–BNA frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from DTW to BNA?
- Departures around 6 a.m. have the best record (94% on-time), while departures around 9 p.m. have the worst (66%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from DTW to BNA?
- The scheduled DTW–BNA flight time averages 1h 40m over 456 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 19% of the time.
- How often are DTW to BNA flights cancelled?
- 1% 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 DTW to BNA?
- December 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 60% of arrivals on time. The best was October 2024 at 92%. If your dates are flexible, that 33-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 5,070 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.