Detroit (DTW) to Louisville (SDF): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
When you fly DTW to SDF matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 96% on-time in September 2025 to just 62% in December 2025. Across the full period the route averages 81% on-time against a national 78%.
- On-time
- 81%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 15 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 0.9%
- Flights/day
- 3.1
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 1h 25m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 306 mi
Best airline from DTW to SDF
2 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republic Airwaysmost reliable | 84% | 13 min | 0.6% | 1,151 |
| SkyWest Airlines | 78% | 17 min | 1.2% | 1,304 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from DTW to SDF
Aim for departures around 9 p.m. (87% on-time); avoid 5 p.m. departures (69%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 79% | 19 min |
| Tuesday | 82% | 13 min |
| Wednesday | 84% | 14 min |
| Thursday | 78% | 15 min |
| Friday | 78% | 16 min |
| Saturdaybest | 85% | 8 min |
| Sunday | 78% | 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 aircraft14%
- Airline operations63%
- National airspace system11%
- Weather13%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from DTW to SDF delayed?
- 20% of DTW–SDF 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 SDF?
- Republic Airways has the best on-time record on this route at 84%, based on 1,151 flights. 2 airlines flew DTW–SDF frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from DTW to SDF?
- Departures around 9 p.m. have the best record (87% on-time), while departures around 5 p.m. have the worst (69%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from DTW to SDF?
- The scheduled DTW–SDF flight time averages 1h 25m over 306 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 20% of the time.
- How often are DTW to SDF 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 SDF?
- December 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 62% of arrivals on time. The best was September 2025 at 96%. If your dates are flexible, that 34-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 2,517 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.