St. Louis (STL) to Detroit (DTW): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
When you fly STL to DTW matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 94% on-time in October 2024 to just 70% in July 2026. Across the full period the route averages 84% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (89% vs 76%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 84%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 16 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 0.8%
- Flights/day
- 5.2
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 1h 33m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 440 mi
Best airline from STL to DTW
3 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delta Air Linesmost reliable | 87% | 14 min | 1.1% | 2,439 |
| Southwest Airlines | 78% | 15 min | 0.3% | 1,172 |
| SkyWest Airlines | 75% | 27 min | 1.3% | 227 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from STL to DTW
Aim for departures around 8 a.m. (96% on-time); avoid 8 p.m. departures (56%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 80% | 22 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 88% | 11 min |
| Wednesday | 85% | 13 min |
| Thursday | 86% | 11 min |
| Friday | 82% | 21 min |
| Saturday | 85% | 14 min |
| Sunday | 81% | 16 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft39%
- Airline operations50%
- National airspace system6%
- Weather6%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from STL to DTW delayed?
- 16% of STL–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 16 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from STL to DTW?
- Delta Air Lines has the best on-time record on this route at 87%, based on 2,439 flights. 3 airlines flew STL–DTW frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from STL to DTW?
- Departures around 8 a.m. have the best record (96% on-time), while departures around 8 p.m. have the worst (56%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from STL to DTW?
- The scheduled STL–DTW flight time averages 1h 33m over 440 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 16% of the time.
- How often are STL to DTW flights cancelled?
- 0.8% 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 STL to DTW?
- July 2026 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 70% of arrivals on time. The best was October 2024 at 94%. If your dates are flexible, that 24-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 3,888 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.