Best Time to Fly DEN to DTW: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
Denver International → Detroit Metro Wayne County
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
Over the last 12 months, 78.0% of Denver (DEN) to Detroit (DTW) flights arrived on time (3,094 scheduled flights). That is in line with the national average of 77.6%.
Delta Air Lines was the most punctual of the 4 airlines on the route at 86.6%, while Southwest Airlines trailed at 57.3%.
November has been the best month (86% on time) and Thursday the weakest day of the week (77%).
0.4% of flights were cancelled, versus 1.8% nationally.
DEN to DTW on-time performance by airline
Last 12 months. Airlines with fewer than 30 completed flights are marked “limited data”.
| Airline | On time | Avg delay when late | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delta Air Lines | 86.6% | 78 min | 0.3% | 1,245 |
| United Airlines | 80.2% | 60 min | 0.0% | 726 |
| Frontier Airlines | 80.0% | 76 min | 0.4% | 473 |
| Southwest Airlines | 57.3% | 50 min | 0.8% | 649 |
| SkyWest Airlines | Limited data | 1 | ||
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly DEN to DTW
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 6,095 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12am–1am | 89.3% | 0.3% | 340 |
| 5am–6am | 89.3% | 0.0% | 103 |
| 6am–7am | 88.8% | 0.1% | 708 |
| 7am–8am | 94.7% | 0.0% | 190 |
| 8am–9am | Limited data | 27 | |
| 9am–10am | 88.1% | 0.0% | 390 |
| 10am–11am | 81.8% | 0.2% | 1,054 |
| 11am–12pm | 80.9% | 0.0% | 418 |
| 12pm–1pm | 73.8% | 0.7% | 150 |
| 1pm–2pm | 72.3% | 0.0% | 142 |
| 2pm–3pm | 79.0% | 0.0% | 95 |
| 3pm–4pm | 80.2% | 0.3% | 658 |
| 4pm–5pm | 78.0% | 0.8% | 266 |
| 5pm–6pm | 69.2% | 0.1% | 902 |
| 6pm–7pm | 50.8% | 1.0% | 203 |
| 7pm–8pm | 52.9% | 1.2% | 329 |
| 8pm–9pm | 66.4% | 0.9% | 114 |
| 9pm–10pm | Limited data | 6 | |
Best day of the week
24 months, by day of departure.
Best month to fly
24 months, by calendar month.
Holiday travel on DEN to DTW
On-time arrivals during holiday periods compared with all other days, last 24 months.
| Period | On time | vs other days | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thanksgiving week (Tue before to Mon after) | 80.9% | +0.9 pts | 0.0% | 115 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 79.8% | -0.2 pts | 0.4% | 259 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 71.5% | -8.4 pts | 0.6% | 1,155 |
| All other days | 79.9% | — | 0.2% | 4,566 |
Monthly on-time trend
On-time arrival % each month, with the 12-month US average for reference.
What causes delays on this route
Share of reported delay minutes, last 12 months (BTS cause categories).