Minneapolis (MSP) to Detroit (DTW): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
The calendar drives reliability on MSP–DTW. October 2024 flights landed on schedule 95% of the time, but December 2025 dropped to 68% — a gap of 27 points. Across the full period the route averages 83% 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
- 83%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 12 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 0.5%
- Flights/day
- 5.3
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 1h 44m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 528 mi
Best airline from MSP to DTW
2 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spirit Airlinesmost reliable | 85% | 11 min | 0.8% | 480 |
| Delta Air Lines | 83% | 12 min | 0.5% | 3,961 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from MSP to DTW
Aim for departures around 5 a.m. (93% on-time); avoid 7 p.m. departures (61%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 83% | 12 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 86% | 9 min |
| Wednesday | 83% | 11 min |
| Thursday | 83% | 11 min |
| Friday | 83% | 12 min |
| Saturday | 83% | 15 min |
| Sunday | 80% | 14 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft21%
- Airline operations57%
- National airspace system18%
- Weather4%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from MSP to DTW delayed?
- 17% of MSP–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 12 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from MSP to DTW?
- Spirit Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 85%, based on 480 flights. 2 airlines flew MSP–DTW frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from MSP to DTW?
- Departures around 5 a.m. have the best record (93% on-time), while departures around 7 p.m. have the worst (61%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from MSP to DTW?
- The scheduled MSP–DTW flight time averages 1h 44m over 528 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 17% of the time.
- How often are MSP to DTW flights cancelled?
- 0.5% 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 MSP to DTW?
- December 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 68% of arrivals on time. The best was October 2024 at 95%. If your dates are flexible, that 27-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 4,441 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.