Detroit (DTW) to Milwaukee (MKE): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
When you fly DTW to MKE matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 94% on-time in October 2024 to just 56% in December 2025. Across the full period the route averages 78% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (87% vs 70%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 78%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 18 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 0.8%
- Flights/day
- 4.1
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 1h 16m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 237 mi
Best airline from DTW to MKE
3 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delta Air Linesmost reliable | 86% | 10 min | 1.4% | 1,142 |
| Republic Airways | 83% | 7 min | 0.0% | 86 |
| SkyWest Airlines | 73% | 24 min | 0.4% | 1,828 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from DTW to MKE
Aim for departures around 8 a.m. (87% on-time); avoid 8 p.m. departures (66%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 78% | 18 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 81% | 18 min |
| Wednesday | 78% | 18 min |
| Thursday | 79% | 15 min |
| Friday | 75% | 23 min |
| Saturday | 79% | 15 min |
| Sunday | 77% | 19 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft4%
- Airline operations69%
- National airspace system11%
- Weather16%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from DTW to MKE delayed?
- 22% of DTW–MKE 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 DTW to MKE?
- Delta Air Lines has the best on-time record on this route at 86%, based on 1,142 flights. 3 airlines flew DTW–MKE frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from DTW to MKE?
- Departures around 8 a.m. have the best record (87% 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 MKE?
- The scheduled DTW–MKE flight time averages 1h 16m over 237 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 22% of the time.
- How often are DTW to MKE flights cancelled?
- 0.8% 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 MKE?
- December 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 56% of arrivals on time. The best was October 2024 at 94%. If your dates are flexible, that 38-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 3,082 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.