Detroit (DTW) to Charlotte (CLT): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
The calendar drives reliability on DTW–CLT. October 2025 flights landed on schedule 91% of the time, but December 2025 dropped to 72% — a gap of 19 points. Across the full period the route averages 84% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (89% vs 74%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 84%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 14 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.3%
- Flights/day
- 9.6
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 1h 54m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 500 mi
Best airline from DTW to CLT
3 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spirit Airlinesmost reliable | 86% | 14 min | 0.8% | 120 |
| Delta Air Lines | 84% | 12 min | 1.0% | 3,127 |
| American Airlines | 84% | 16 min | 1.6% | 4,417 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from DTW to CLT
Aim for departures around 9 a.m. (94% on-time); avoid 8 p.m. departures (66%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 82% | 17 min |
| Tuesday | 86% | 13 min |
| Wednesdaybest | 88% | 9 min |
| Thursday | 85% | 14 min |
| Friday | 82% | 14 min |
| Saturday | 85% | 16 min |
| Sunday | 79% | 17 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft39%
- Airline operations47%
- National airspace system13%
- Weather2%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from DTW to CLT delayed?
- 16% of DTW–CLT 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 14 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from DTW to CLT?
- Spirit Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 86%, based on 120 flights. 3 airlines flew DTW–CLT frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from DTW to CLT?
- Departures around 9 a.m. have the best record (94% on-time), while departures around 8 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 CLT?
- The scheduled DTW–CLT flight time averages 1h 54m over 500 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 16% of the time.
- How often are DTW to CLT flights cancelled?
- 1.3% 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 CLT?
- December 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 72% of arrivals on time. The best was October 2025 at 91%. If your dates are flexible, that 19-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 7,744 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.