Detroit (DTW) to Columbus (CMH): On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
When you fly DTW to CMH matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 94% on-time in September 2025 to just 68% in December 2025. Across the full period the route averages 83% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (89% vs 80%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 83%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 16 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 0.4%
- Flights/day
- 3.7
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 1h 5m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 155 mi
Best airline from DTW to CMH
2 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republic Airwaysmost reliable | 88% | 10 min | 0.3% | 1,682 |
| SkyWest Airlines | 76% | 25 min | 0.7% | 1,224 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from DTW to CMH
Aim for departures around 8 a.m. (90% on-time); avoid 5 p.m. departures (66%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 80% | 18 min |
| Tuesday | 86% | 13 min |
| Wednesday | 82% | 16 min |
| Thursday | 84% | 17 min |
| Friday | 81% | 14 min |
| Saturdaybest | 89% | 8 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 operations70%
- National airspace system8%
- Weather10%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from DTW to CMH delayed?
- 17% of DTW–CMH flights arrived 15 or more minutes late (the US DOT definition of a delay) between 2024-06 and 2026-05. The average arrival delay across completed flights was 16 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from DTW to CMH?
- Republic Airways has the best on-time record on this route at 88%, based on 1,682 flights. 2 airlines flew DTW–CMH frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from DTW to CMH?
- Departures around 8 a.m. have the best record (90% on-time), while departures around 5 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 CMH?
- The scheduled DTW–CMH flight time averages 1h 5m over 155 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 17% of the time.
- How often are DTW to CMH flights cancelled?
- 0.4% of scheduled flights on this route were cancelled between 2024-06 and 2026-05, at or below the national rate of 1.6%.
- What is the worst month to fly from DTW to CMH?
- December 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 68% of arrivals on time. The best was September 2025 at 94%. If your dates are flexible, that 26-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 2,923 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.