Indianapolis (IND) to Detroit (DTW): On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
The calendar drives reliability on IND–DTW. April 2025 flights landed on schedule 98% of the time, but January 2026 dropped to 56% — a gap of 43 points. Across the full period the route averages 82% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (89% vs 73%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 82%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 18 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 0.8%
- Flights/day
- 2.5
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 1h 14m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 231 mi
Best airline from IND to DTW
4 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delta Air Linesmost reliable | 90% | 11 min | 0.4% | 269 |
| Republic Airways | 88% | 6 min | 0.6% | 309 |
| Endeavor Air | 83% | 19 min | 0.3% | 355 |
| SkyWest Airlines | 78% | 23 min | 1.2% | 1,112 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from IND to DTW
Aim for departures around 6 p.m. (91% on-time); avoid 7 p.m. departures (66%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 77% | 22 min |
| Tuesday | 85% | 15 min |
| Wednesdaybest | 86% | 13 min |
| Thursday | 80% | 15 min |
| Friday | 80% | 15 min |
| Saturday | 86% | 20 min |
| Sunday | 79% | 25 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft9%
- Airline operations65%
- National airspace system10%
- Weather16%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from IND to DTW delayed?
- 18% of IND–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 18 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from IND to DTW?
- Delta Air Lines has the best on-time record on this route at 90%, based on 269 flights. 4 airlines flew IND–DTW frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from IND to DTW?
- Departures around 6 p.m. have the best record (91% on-time), while departures around 7 p.m. have the worst (66%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from IND to DTW?
- The scheduled IND–DTW flight time averages 1h 14m over 231 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 18% of the time.
- How often are IND 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 IND to DTW?
- January 2026 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 56% of arrivals on time. The best was April 2025 at 98%. If your dates are flexible, that 43-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 2,045 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.