New York (JFK) to Detroit (DTW): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
When you fly JFK to DTW matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 93% on-time in September 2024 to just 56% in June 2025. Across the full period the route averages 76% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (91% vs 66%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 76%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 23 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 2.8%
- Flights/day
- 3.3
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 2h 13m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 509 mi
Best airline from JFK to DTW
4 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republic Airwaysmost reliable | 89% | 5 min | 0.0% | 101 |
| Endeavor Air | 86% | 10 min | 0.5% | 380 |
| Delta Air Lines | 77% | 26 min | 3.1% | 1,351 |
| JetBlue Airways | 64% | 27 min | 4.3% | 538 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from JFK to DTW
Aim for departures around 9 a.m. (93% on-time); avoid 9 p.m. departures (58%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 77% | 26 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 83% | 14 min |
| Wednesday | 78% | 25 min |
| Thursday | 71% | 24 min |
| Friday | 76% | 18 min |
| Saturday | 74% | 29 min |
| Sunday | 72% | 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 aircraft43%
- Airline operations34%
- National airspace system21%
- Weather2%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from JFK to DTW delayed?
- 24% of JFK–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 23 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from JFK to DTW?
- Republic Airways has the best on-time record on this route at 89%, based on 101 flights. 4 airlines flew JFK–DTW frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from JFK to DTW?
- Departures around 9 a.m. have the best record (93% on-time), while departures around 9 p.m. have the worst (58%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from JFK to DTW?
- The scheduled JFK–DTW flight time averages 2h 13m over 509 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 24% of the time.
- How often are JFK to DTW flights cancelled?
- 2.8% of scheduled flights on this route were cancelled between 2024-07 and 2026-07, slightly above the national rate of 1.6%.
- What is the worst month to fly from JFK to DTW?
- June 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 56% of arrivals on time. The best was September 2024 at 93%. If your dates are flexible, that 38-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 2,370 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.