Washington (IAD) to Detroit (DTW): On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
The calendar drives reliability on IAD–DTW. October 2025 flights landed on schedule 93% of the time, but December 2025 dropped to 56% — a gap of 38 points. Across the full period the route averages 78% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (87% vs 70%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 78%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 25 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 0.8%
- Flights/day
- 3.0
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 1h 40m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 383 mi
Best airline from IAD to DTW
3 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delta Air Linesmost reliable | 87% | 13 min | 1.0% | 103 |
| SkyWest Airlines | 78% | 27 min | 0.7% | 1,967 |
| Republic Airways | 75% | 17 min | 1.5% | 262 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from IAD to DTW
Aim for departures around 11 a.m. (90% on-time); avoid 12 p.m. departures (63%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 76% | 29 min |
| Tuesday | 74% | 29 min |
| Wednesday | 79% | 23 min |
| Thursdaybest | 83% | 14 min |
| Friday | 77% | 26 min |
| Saturday | 79% | 24 min |
| Sunday | 77% | 30 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft4%
- Airline operations71%
- National airspace system11%
- Weather13%
- Security1%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from IAD to DTW delayed?
- 22% of IAD–DTW 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 25 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from IAD to DTW?
- Delta Air Lines has the best on-time record on this route at 87%, based on 103 flights. 3 airlines flew IAD–DTW frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from IAD to DTW?
- Departures around 11 a.m. have the best record (90% on-time), while departures around 12 p.m. have the worst (63%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from IAD to DTW?
- The scheduled IAD–DTW flight time averages 1h 40m over 383 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 22% of the time.
- How often are IAD to DTW 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 IAD to DTW?
- December 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 56% of arrivals on time. The best was October 2025 at 93%. If your dates are flexible, that 38-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 2,390 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.