Detroit (DTW) to San Diego (SAN): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
When you fly DTW to SAN matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 86% on-time in September 2024 to just 57% in January 2026. Across the full period the route averages 76% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (83% vs 64%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 76%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 15 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 0.9%
- Flights/day
- 3.5
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 4h 50m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 1,956 mi
Best airline from DTW to SAN
2 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spirit Airlinesmost reliable | 88% | 9 min | 1.5% | 66 |
| Delta Air Lines | 76% | 15 min | 0.9% | 2,583 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from DTW to SAN
Aim for departures around 9 a.m. (89% on-time); avoid 8 p.m. departures (64%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 74% | 16 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 82% | 9 min |
| Wednesday | 79% | 12 min |
| Thursday | 72% | 17 min |
| Friday | 73% | 17 min |
| Saturday | 79% | 16 min |
| Sunday | 76% | 18 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft29%
- Airline operations44%
- National airspace system24%
- Weather3%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from DTW to SAN delayed?
- 24% of DTW–SAN 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 15 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from DTW to SAN?
- Spirit Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 88%, based on 66 flights. 2 airlines flew DTW–SAN frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from DTW to SAN?
- Departures around 9 a.m. have the best record (89% on-time), while departures around 8 p.m. have the worst (64%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from DTW to SAN?
- The scheduled DTW–SAN flight time averages 4h 50m over 1,956 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 24% of the time.
- How often are DTW to SAN flights cancelled?
- 0.9% 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 SAN?
- January 2026 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 57% of arrivals on time. The best was September 2024 at 86%. If your dates are flexible, that 30-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 2,649 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.