Kansas City (MCI) to Detroit (DTW): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
The calendar drives reliability on MCI–DTW. October 2024 flights landed on schedule 94% of the time, but December 2025 dropped to 77% — a gap of 17 points. Across the full period the route averages 88% on-time against a national 78%.
- On-time
- 88%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 10 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.0%
- Flights/day
- 3.7
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 1h 55m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 629 mi
Best airline from MCI to DTW
2 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delta Air Linesmost reliable | 89% | 10 min | 1.0% | 2,770 |
| Spirit Airlines | 84% | 16 min | 0.0% | 63 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from MCI to DTW
Aim for departures around 6 a.m. (94% on-time); avoid 5 p.m. departures (84%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 88% | 11 min |
| Tuesday | 89% | 10 min |
| Wednesday | 89% | 11 min |
| Thursday | 87% | 13 min |
| Friday | 87% | 11 min |
| Saturdaybest | 91% | 5 min |
| Sunday | 86% | 10 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft53%
- Airline operations39%
- National airspace system5%
- Weather2%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from MCI to DTW delayed?
- 12% of MCI–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 10 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from MCI to DTW?
- Delta Air Lines has the best on-time record on this route at 89%, based on 2,770 flights. 2 airlines flew MCI–DTW frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from MCI to DTW?
- Departures around 6 a.m. have the best record (94% on-time), while departures around 5 p.m. have the worst (84%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from MCI to DTW?
- The scheduled MCI–DTW flight time averages 1h 55m over 629 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 12% of the time.
- How often are MCI to DTW flights cancelled?
- 1% 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 MCI to DTW?
- December 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 77% of arrivals on time. The best was October 2024 at 94%. If your dates are flexible, that 17-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 2,852 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.