San Francisco (SFO) to Detroit (DTW): On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
The calendar drives reliability on SFO–DTW. April 2025 flights landed on schedule 93% of the time, but May 2026 dropped to 69% — a gap of 24 points. Across the full period the route averages 82% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (86% vs 78%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 82%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 12 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 0.8%
- Flights/day
- 4.9
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 4h 32m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 2,079 mi
Best airline from SFO to DTW
2 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delta Air Linesmost reliable | 82% | 12 min | 0.8% | 2,726 |
| United Airlines | 81% | 12 min | 0.8% | 796 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from SFO to DTW
Aim for departures around 9 a.m. (97% on-time); avoid 11 p.m. departures (64%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 80% | 15 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 88% | 9 min |
| Wednesday | 82% | 9 min |
| Thursday | 80% | 12 min |
| Friday | 82% | 12 min |
| Saturday | 86% | 10 min |
| Sunday | 77% | 15 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft46%
- Airline operations39%
- National airspace system14%
- Weather1%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from SFO to DTW delayed?
- 18% of SFO–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 12 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from SFO to DTW?
- Delta Air Lines has the best on-time record on this route at 82%, based on 2,726 flights. 2 airlines flew SFO–DTW frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from SFO to DTW?
- Departures around 9 a.m. have the best record (97% on-time), while departures around 11 p.m. have the worst (64%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from SFO to DTW?
- The scheduled SFO–DTW flight time averages 4h 32m over 2,079 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 18% of the time.
- How often are SFO to DTW flights cancelled?
- 0.8% 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 SFO to DTW?
- May 2026 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 69% of arrivals on time. The best was April 2025 at 93%. If your dates are flexible, that 24-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 3,522 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.