FlightRecord

Milwaukee (MKE) to Detroit (DTW): On-Time Performance

Data through July 2026

Milwaukee (MKE) to Detroit (DTW) effectively runs on two schedules. In October 2024, 95% of arrivals were on time; in March 2026 that fell to 66% — a 29-point seasonal swing. Across the full period the route averages 81% on-time against a national 78%.

On-time
81%
arrived <15 min late
Avg delay
19 min
completed flights
Cancelled
0.9%
Flights/day
4.1
last 12 months
Duration
1h 12m
scheduled
Distance
237 mi

Best airline from MKE to DTW

3 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.

AirlineOn-timeAvg delayCancelledFlights
Delta Air Linesmost reliable86%12 min1.5%1,142
Republic Airways84%10 min0.0%86
SkyWest Airlines78%24 min0.5%1,829

Monthly on-time trend

Monthly on-time percentage for MKE to DTW flights50%75%100%August 2024: 87% on-time (138 flights)87Aug 2024September 2024: 86% on-time (133 flights)86October 2024: 95% on-time (137 flights)95November 2024: 81% on-time (133 flights)81Nov 2024December 2024: 69% on-time (137 flights)69January 2025: 76% on-time (97 flights)76February 2025: 70% on-time (83 flights)70Feb 2025March 2025: 87% on-time (85 flights)87April 2025: 90% on-time (104 flights)90May 2025: 83% on-time (126 flights)83May 2025June 2025: 82% on-time (144 flights)82July 2025: 89% on-time (132 flights)89August 2025: 85% on-time (128 flights)85Aug 2025September 2025: 92% on-time (112 flights)92October 2025: 90% on-time (136 flights)90November 2025: 86% on-time (115 flights)86Nov 2025December 2025: 67% on-time (121 flights)67January 2026: 66% on-time (103 flights)66February 2026: 78% on-time (102 flights)78Feb 2026March 2026: 66% on-time (141 flights)66April 2026: 83% on-time (144 flights)83May 2026: 78% on-time (148 flights)78May 2026June 2026: 82% on-time (125 flights)82July 2026: 78% on-time (123 flights)78

Best time to fly from MKE to DTW

Aim for departures around 9 a.m. (86% on-time); avoid 6 a.m. departures (72%).

On-time percentage by scheduled departure hour, MKE to DTW6 a.m.: 72% on-time (249 flights)67 a.m.: 85% on-time (512 flights)79 a.m.: 86% on-time (659 flights)91 p.m.: 85% on-time (609 flights)134 p.m.: 77% on-time (382 flights)165 p.m.: 80% on-time (260 flights)176 p.m.: 73% on-time (365 flights)187 p.m.: 68% on-time (29 flights)19scheduled departure hour

By day of week

DayOn-timeAvg delay
Monday80%20 min
Tuesday82%18 min
Wednesday80%23 min
Thursday86%15 min
Friday80%18 min
Saturdaybest86%11 min
Sunday78%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 aircraft13%
  • Airline operations68%
  • National airspace system7%
  • Weather13%

Frequently asked questions

How often are flights from MKE to DTW delayed?
19% of MKE–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 19 minutes.
Which airline is most reliable from MKE to DTW?
Delta Air Lines has the best on-time record on this route at 86%, based on 1,142 flights. 3 airlines flew MKE–DTW frequently enough to compare in this period.
What is the best time of day to fly from MKE to DTW?
Departures around 9 a.m. have the best record (86% on-time), while departures around 6 a.m. have the worst (72%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
How long is the flight from MKE to DTW?
The scheduled MKE–DTW flight time averages 1h 12m over 237 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 19% of the time.
How often are MKE to DTW flights cancelled?
0.9% 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 MKE to DTW?
March 2026 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 66% of arrivals on time. The best was October 2024 at 95%. If your dates are flexible, that 29-point gap is worth planning around.

Based on 3,083 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.