Houston (IAH) to Detroit (DTW): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
The calendar drives reliability on IAH–DTW. September 2025 flights landed on schedule 89% of the time, but July 2024 dropped to 60% — a gap of 30 points. Across the full period the route averages 79% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (86% vs 71%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 79%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 17 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.2%
- Flights/day
- 5.8
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 2h 47m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 1,075 mi
Best airline from IAH to DTW
4 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delta Air Linesmost reliable | 82% | 17 min | 1.0% | 2,740 |
| Spirit Airlines | 78% | 20 min | 1.6% | 1,009 |
| United Airlines | 74% | 16 min | 1.5% | 852 |
| Frontier Airlines | 69% | 25 min | 1.3% | 152 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from IAH to DTW
Aim for departures around 5 a.m. (90% on-time); avoid 7 p.m. departures (69%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 79% | 13 min |
| Tuesday | 81% | 17 min |
| Wednesdaybest | 82% | 13 min |
| Thursday | 78% | 20 min |
| Friday | 78% | 23 min |
| Saturday | 79% | 15 min |
| Sunday | 77% | 21 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft33%
- Airline operations49%
- National airspace system14%
- Weather4%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from IAH to DTW delayed?
- 21% of IAH–DTW 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 17 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from IAH to DTW?
- Delta Air Lines has the best on-time record on this route at 82%, based on 2,740 flights. 4 airlines flew IAH–DTW frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from IAH to DTW?
- Departures around 5 a.m. have the best record (90% on-time), while departures around 7 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 IAH to DTW?
- The scheduled IAH–DTW flight time averages 2h 47m over 1,075 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 21% of the time.
- How often are IAH to DTW flights cancelled?
- 1.2% 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 IAH to DTW?
- July 2024 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 60% of arrivals on time. The best was September 2025 at 89%. If your dates are flexible, that 30-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 4,757 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.