Detroit (DTW) to Madison (MSN): On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
When you fly DTW to MSN matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 90% on-time in September 2024 to just 41% in January 2026. Across the full period the route averages 77% on-time against a national 78%.
- On-time
- 77%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 18 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 0.6%
- Flights/day
- 2.6
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 1h 20m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 311 mi
Best airline from DTW to MSN
3 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Endeavor Airmost reliable | 86% | 9 min | 1.7% | 118 |
| Delta Air Lines | 80% | 15 min | 0.5% | 816 |
| SkyWest Airlines | 74% | 21 min | 0.5% | 1,326 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from DTW to MSN
Aim for departures around 8 a.m. (80% on-time); avoid 5 p.m. departures (71%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 74% | 22 min |
| Tuesday | 79% | 16 min |
| Wednesday | 80% | 14 min |
| Thursday | 76% | 18 min |
| Friday | 74% | 23 min |
| Saturdaybest | 81% | 12 min |
| Sunday | 75% | 22 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft10%
- Airline operations67%
- National airspace system8%
- Weather15%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from DTW to MSN delayed?
- 23% of DTW–MSN 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 18 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from DTW to MSN?
- Endeavor Air has the best on-time record on this route at 86%, based on 118 flights. 3 airlines flew DTW–MSN frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from DTW to MSN?
- Departures around 8 a.m. have the best record (80% on-time), while departures around 5 p.m. have the worst (71%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from DTW to MSN?
- The scheduled DTW–MSN flight time averages 1h 20m over 311 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 23% of the time.
- How often are DTW to MSN flights cancelled?
- 0.6% 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 MSN?
- January 2026 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 41% of arrivals on time. The best was September 2024 at 90%. If your dates are flexible, that 50-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 2,277 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.