Saginaw/Bay City/Midland (MBS) to Detroit (DTW): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
The calendar drives reliability on MBS–DTW. May 2025 flights landed on schedule 95% of the time, but December 2025 dropped to 52% — a gap of 43 points. Across the full period the route averages 81% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (85% vs 74%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 81%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 20 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 0.8%
- Flights/day
- 2.9
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 57m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 98 mi
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from MBS to DTW
Aim for departures around 1 p.m. (97% on-time); avoid 6 p.m. departures (71%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 82% | 16 min |
| Tuesday | 81% | 24 min |
| Wednesday | 81% | 16 min |
| Thursday | 82% | 18 min |
| Friday | 83% | 18 min |
| Saturdaybest | 84% | 17 min |
| Sunday | 79% | 27 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Airline operations71%
- National airspace system6%
- Weather23%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from MBS to DTW delayed?
- 19% of MBS–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 20 minutes.
- What is the best time of day to fly from MBS to DTW?
- Departures around 1 p.m. have the best record (97% on-time), while departures around 6 p.m. have the worst (71%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from MBS to DTW?
- The scheduled MBS–DTW flight time averages 57m over 98 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 19% of the time.
- How often are MBS to DTW flights cancelled?
- 0.8% 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 MBS to DTW?
- December 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 52% of arrivals on time. The best was May 2025 at 95%. If your dates are flexible, that 43-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 2,388 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.