Detroit (DTW) to San Antonio (SAT): On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
The calendar drives reliability on DTW–SAT. October 2024 flights landed on schedule 93% of the time, but January 2026 dropped to 62% — a gap of 31 points. Across the full period the route averages 80% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (86% vs 73%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 80%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 13 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 0.8%
- Flights/day
- 2.6
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 3h 17m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 1,214 mi
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from DTW to SAT
Aim for departures around 8 a.m. (86% on-time); avoid 8 p.m. departures (72%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 80% | 14 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 84% | 9 min |
| Wednesday | 82% | 10 min |
| Thursday | 82% | 8 min |
| Friday | 79% | 15 min |
| Saturday | 78% | 14 min |
| Sunday | 75% | 20 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft19%
- Airline operations55%
- National airspace system24%
- Weather2%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from DTW to SAT delayed?
- 20% of DTW–SAT 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 13 minutes.
- What is the best time of day to fly from DTW to SAT?
- Departures around 8 a.m. have the best record (86% on-time), while departures around 8 p.m. have the worst (72%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from DTW to SAT?
- The scheduled DTW–SAT flight time averages 3h 17m over 1,214 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 20% of the time.
- How often are DTW to SAT flights cancelled?
- 0.8% 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 SAT?
- January 2026 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 62% of arrivals on time. The best was October 2024 at 93%. If your dates are flexible, that 31-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 1,878 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.