Portland (PWM) to Detroit (DTW): On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
When you fly PWM to DTW matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 93% on-time in October 2025 to just 58% in January 2026. Across the full period the route averages 80% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (89% vs 77%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 80%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 19 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 0.6%
- Flights/day
- 1.7
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 2h 14m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 668 mi
Best airline from PWM to DTW
3 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delta Air Linesmost reliable | 82% | 19 min | 0.9% | 458 |
| Republic Airways | 81% | 15 min | 0.6% | 316 |
| SkyWest Airlines | 76% | 23 min | 0.2% | 471 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from PWM to DTW
Aim for departures around 5 a.m. (89% on-time); avoid 4 p.m. departures (75%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 76% | 21 min |
| Tuesday | 82% | 24 min |
| Wednesdaybest | 87% | 11 min |
| Thursday | 82% | 20 min |
| Friday | 78% | 14 min |
| Saturday | 82% | 19 min |
| Sunday | 72% | 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 aircraft15%
- Airline operations55%
- National airspace system10%
- Weather20%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from PWM to DTW delayed?
- 21% of PWM–DTW flights arrived 15 or more minutes late (the US DOT definition of a delay) between 2024-06 and 2026-05. The average arrival delay across completed flights was 19 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from PWM to DTW?
- Delta Air Lines has the best on-time record on this route at 82%, based on 458 flights. 3 airlines flew PWM–DTW frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from PWM to DTW?
- Departures around 5 a.m. have the best record (89% on-time), while departures around 4 p.m. have the worst (75%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from PWM to DTW?
- The scheduled PWM–DTW flight time averages 2h 14m over 668 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 21% of the time.
- How often are PWM to DTW flights cancelled?
- 0.6% of scheduled flights on this route were cancelled between 2024-06 and 2026-05, at or below the national rate of 1.6%.
- What is the worst month to fly from PWM to DTW?
- January 2026 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 58% of arrivals on time. The best was October 2025 at 93%. If your dates are flexible, that 36-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 1,268 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.