FlightRecord

Detroit (DTW) to South Bend (SBN): On-Time Performance

Data through May 2026

Detroit (DTW) to South Bend (SBN) effectively runs on two schedules. In October 2025, 82% of arrivals were on time; in February 2025 that fell to 39% — a 43-point seasonal swing. Across the full period the route averages 66% on-time against a national 78%.

On-time
66%
arrived <15 min late
Avg delay
32 min
completed flights
Cancelled
0.8%
Flights/day
1.9
last 12 months
Duration
1h 3m
scheduled
Distance
157 mi

Monthly on-time trend

Monthly on-time percentage for DTW to SBN flights50%75%100%June 2024: 53% on-time (30 flights)53Jun 2024July 2024: 61% on-time (31 flights)61August 2024: 61% on-time (31 flights)61September 2024: 70% on-time (30 flights)70Sep 2024October 2024: 74% on-time (31 flights)74November 2024: 67% on-time (30 flights)67December 2024: 66% on-time (32 flights)66Dec 2024January 2025: 55% on-time (31 flights)55February 2025: 39% on-time (28 flights)39March 2025: 65% on-time (31 flights)65Mar 2025April 2025: 70% on-time (30 flights)70May 2025: 53% on-time (31 flights)53June 2025: 67% on-time (53 flights)67Jun 2025July 2025: 63% on-time (62 flights)63August 2025: 74% on-time (62 flights)74September 2025: 80% on-time (60 flights)80Sep 2025October 2025: 82% on-time (62 flights)82November 2025: 78% on-time (58 flights)78December 2025: 50% on-time (50 flights)50Dec 2025January 2026: 48% on-time (58 flights)48February 2026: 66% on-time (56 flights)66March 2026: 61% on-time (62 flights)61Mar 2026April 2026: 68% on-time (60 flights)68May 2026: 81% on-time (62 flights)81

Best time to fly from DTW to SBN

Aim for departures around 12 p.m. (77% on-time); avoid 7 p.m. departures (57%).

On-time percentage by scheduled departure hour, DTW to SBN12 p.m.: 77% on-time (332 flights)124 p.m.: 69% on-time (39 flights)167 p.m.: 57% on-time (507 flights)198 p.m.: 65% on-time (159 flights)209 p.m.: 91% on-time (23 flights)21scheduled departure hour

By day of week

DayOn-timeAvg delay
Monday58%38 min
Tuesday68%32 min
Wednesday72%31 min
Thursday68%28 min
Friday57%38 min
Saturdaybest76%21 min
Sunday64%36 min

What causes delays on this route

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

  • Airline operations72%
  • National airspace system10%
  • Weather19%

Frequently asked questions

How often are flights from DTW to SBN delayed?
34% of DTW–SBN 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 32 minutes.
What is the best time of day to fly from DTW to SBN?
Departures around 12 p.m. have the best record (77% on-time), while departures around 7 p.m. have the worst (57%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
How long is the flight from DTW to SBN?
The scheduled DTW–SBN flight time averages 1h 3m over 157 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 34% of the time.
How often are DTW to SBN 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 SBN?
February 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 39% of arrivals on time. The best was October 2025 at 82%. If your dates are flexible, that 43-point gap is worth planning around.

Based on 1,071 flights, 2024-062026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.