Chicago (ORD) to Detroit (DTW): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
The calendar drives reliability on ORD–DTW. November 2024 flights landed on schedule 88% of the time, but December 2025 dropped to 54% — a gap of 35 points. Across the full period the route averages 76% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (84% vs 68%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 76%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 20 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 2.2%
- Flights/day
- 16
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 1h 28m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 235 mi
Best airline from ORD to DTW
7 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delta Air Linesmost reliable | 81% | 18 min | 1.6% | 3,178 |
| Republic Airways | 79% | 15 min | 2.6% | 1,098 |
| Spirit Airlines | 78% | 16 min | 0.6% | 155 |
| Envoy Air | 78% | 12 min | 2.8% | 1,942 |
| United Airlines | 76% | 19 min | 0.9% | 1,376 |
| SkyWest Airlines | 70% | 27 min | 2.6% | 4,317 |
| American Airlines | 68% | 37 min | 3.1% | 259 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from ORD to DTW
Aim for departures around 7 a.m. (89% on-time); avoid 7 p.m. departures (65%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 74% | 26 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 79% | 17 min |
| Wednesday | 78% | 18 min |
| Thursday | 77% | 18 min |
| Friday | 71% | 24 min |
| Saturdaybest | 79% | 16 min |
| Sunday | 73% | 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 aircraft38%
- Airline operations35%
- National airspace system15%
- Weather11%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from ORD to DTW delayed?
- 25% of ORD–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.
- Which airline is most reliable from ORD to DTW?
- Delta Air Lines has the best on-time record on this route at 81%, based on 3,178 flights. 7 airlines flew ORD–DTW frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from ORD to DTW?
- Departures around 7 a.m. have the best record (89% on-time), while departures around 7 p.m. have the worst (65%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from ORD to DTW?
- The scheduled ORD–DTW flight time averages 1h 28m over 235 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 25% of the time.
- How often are ORD to DTW flights cancelled?
- 2.2% 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 ORD to DTW?
- December 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 54% of arrivals on time. The best was November 2024 at 88%. If your dates are flexible, that 35-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 12,351 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.