FlightRecord

Detroit (DTW) to Pellston (PLN): On-Time Performance

Data through May 2026

Delays are only half the story on DTW–PLN: 7.7% of its scheduled flights were outright cancelled, well above the US norm, so a backup plan matters more here than on most routes. When flights do go, 79% land on time, no worse than the national average of 78%.

On-time
79%
arrived <15 min late
Avg delay
19 min
completed flights
Cancelled
7.7%
Flights/day
1.8
last 12 months
Duration
1h 15m
scheduled
Distance
243 mi

Monthly on-time trend

Monthly on-time percentage for DTW to PLN flights50%75%100%June 2024: 77% on-time (112 flights)77Jun 2024July 2024: 79% on-time (114 flights)79August 2024: 74% on-time (116 flights)74September 2024: 88% on-time (69 flights)88Sep 2024October 2024: 81% on-time (52 flights)81November 2024: 83% on-time (53 flights)83December 2024: 73% on-time (54 flights)73Dec 2024January 2025: 76% on-time (54 flights)76February 2025: 74% on-time (48 flights)74March 2025: 78% on-time (54 flights)78Mar 2025April 2025: 82% on-time (50 flights)82May 2025: 84% on-time (62 flights)84June 2025: 87% on-time (60 flights)87Jun 2025July 2025: 80% on-time (62 flights)80August 2025: 87% on-time (62 flights)87September 2025: 88% on-time (60 flights)88Sep 2025October 2025: 91% on-time (54 flights)91November 2025: 84% on-time (52 flights)84December 2025: 55% on-time (53 flights)55Dec 2025January 2026: 66% on-time (53 flights)66February 2026: 59% on-time (48 flights)59March 2026: 56% on-time (53 flights)56Mar 2026April 2026: 67% on-time (51 flights)67May 2026: 89% on-time (54 flights)89

Best time to fly from DTW to PLN

Aim for departures around 8 a.m. (85% on-time); avoid 4 p.m. departures (73%).

On-time percentage by scheduled departure hour, DTW to PLN8 a.m.: 85% on-time (392 flights)812 p.m.: 74% on-time (294 flights)123 p.m.: 78% on-time (292 flights)154 p.m.: 73% on-time (304 flights)165 p.m.: 75% on-time (80 flights)177 p.m.: 86% on-time (29 flights)199 p.m.: 74% on-time (73 flights)21scheduled departure hour

By day of week

DayOn-timeAvg delay
Monday80%18 min
Tuesday71%25 min
Wednesday83%11 min
Thursday74%21 min
Friday80%21 min
Saturdaybest84%15 min
Sunday77%22 min

What causes delays on this route

Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.

  • Airline operations69%
  • National airspace system7%
  • Weather24%

Frequently asked questions

How often are flights from DTW to PLN delayed?
22% of DTW–PLN 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 19 minutes.
What is the best time of day to fly from DTW to PLN?
Departures around 8 a.m. have the best record (85% on-time), while departures around 4 p.m. have the worst (73%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
How long is the flight from DTW to PLN?
The scheduled DTW–PLN flight time averages 1h 15m over 243 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 22% of the time.
How often are DTW to PLN flights cancelled?
7.7% of scheduled flights on this route were cancelled between 2024-06 and 2026-05 — several times the typical US rate, so consider earlier departures or backup options.
What is the worst month to fly from DTW to PLN?
December 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 55% of arrivals on time. The best was October 2025 at 91%. If your dates are flexible, that 36-point gap is worth planning around.

Based on 1,500 flights, 2024-062026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.