FlightRecord

Pittsburgh (PIT) to Detroit (DTW): On-Time Performance

Data through July 2026

The calendar drives reliability on PIT–DTW. October 2024 flights landed on schedule 95% of the time, but January 2026 dropped to 60% — a gap of 35 points. Across the full period the route averages 82% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (88% vs 75%), which matters most in the rough months.

On-time
82%
arrived <15 min late
Avg delay
17 min
completed flights
Cancelled
1.1%
Flights/day
2.7
last 12 months
Duration
1h 12m
scheduled
Distance
201 mi

Best airline from PIT to DTW

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

AirlineOn-timeAvg delayCancelledFlights
Delta Air Linesmost reliable91%8 min1.4%415
Endeavor Air85%16 min1.9%208
Republic Airways81%15 min1.4%583
SkyWest Airlines79%21 min0.6%1,234

Monthly on-time trend

Monthly on-time percentage for PIT to DTW flights50%75%100%August 2024: 84% on-time (124 flights)84Aug 2024September 2024: 92% on-time (120 flights)92October 2024: 95% on-time (123 flights)95November 2024: 92% on-time (117 flights)92Nov 2024December 2024: 87% on-time (111 flights)87January 2025: 62% on-time (92 flights)62February 2025: 61% on-time (80 flights)61Feb 2025March 2025: 84% on-time (111 flights)84April 2025: 85% on-time (116 flights)85May 2025: 90% on-time (118 flights)90May 2025June 2025: 81% on-time (111 flights)81July 2025: 78% on-time (110 flights)78August 2025: 88% on-time (96 flights)88Aug 2025September 2025: 94% on-time (86 flights)94October 2025: 87% on-time (38 flights)87November 2025: 84% on-time (33 flights)84Nov 2025December 2025: 70% on-time (57 flights)70January 2026: 60% on-time (104 flights)60February 2026: 71% on-time (106 flights)71Feb 2026March 2026: 72% on-time (99 flights)72April 2026: 92% on-time (118 flights)92May 2026: 86% on-time (79 flights)86May 2026June 2026: 89% on-time (81 flights)89July 2026: 71% on-time (88 flights)71

Best time to fly from PIT to DTW

Aim for departures around 6 a.m. (89% on-time); avoid 6 p.m. departures (70%).

On-time percentage by scheduled departure hour, PIT to DTW6 a.m.: 89% on-time (576 flights)610 a.m.: 87% on-time (569 flights)102 p.m.: 78% on-time (385 flights)143 p.m.: 100% on-time (20 flights)155 p.m.: 78% on-time (527 flights)176 p.m.: 70% on-time (129 flights)187 p.m.: 72% on-time (219 flights)19scheduled departure hour

By day of week

DayOn-timeAvg delay
Monday78%24 min
Tuesdaybest86%16 min
Wednesday82%15 min
Thursday82%15 min
Friday80%21 min
Saturday85%11 min
Sunday81%17 min

What causes delays on this route

Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.

  • Late-arriving aircraft15%
  • Airline operations51%
  • National airspace system12%
  • Weather22%

Frequently asked questions

How often are flights from PIT to DTW delayed?
18% of PIT–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 17 minutes.
Which airline is most reliable from PIT to DTW?
Delta Air Lines has the best on-time record on this route at 91%, based on 415 flights. 4 airlines flew PIT–DTW frequently enough to compare in this period.
What is the best time of day to fly from PIT to DTW?
Departures around 6 a.m. have the best record (89% on-time), while departures around 6 p.m. have the worst (70%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
How long is the flight from PIT to DTW?
The scheduled PIT–DTW flight time averages 1h 12m over 201 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 18% of the time.
How often are PIT to DTW flights cancelled?
1.1% 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 PIT to DTW?
January 2026 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 60% of arrivals on time. The best was October 2024 at 95%. If your dates are flexible, that 35-point gap is worth planning around.

Based on 2,440 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.