Best Time to Fly PHL to DTW: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
Philadelphia International → Detroit Metro Wayne County
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
2,953 flights were scheduled from Philadelphia (PHL) to Detroit (DTW) in the last 12 months, and 80.2% of those that flew arrived on time, 2.5 points above the US average of 77.6%.
Spirit Airlines was the most punctual of the 7 airlines on the route at 89.0%, while SkyWest Airlines trailed at 67.2%.
October has been the best month (88% on time) and Thursday the weakest day of the week (76%).
3.3% of flights were cancelled, versus 1.8% nationally.
PHL 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spirit Airlines | 89.0% | 128 min | 0.9% | 110 |
| Republic Airways | 83.9% | 81 min | 0.0% | 62 |
| Delta Air Lines | 83.0% | 101 min | 2.5% | 1,578 |
| American Airlines | 81.2% | 59 min | 0.7% | 139 |
| PSA Airlines | 75.2% | 77 min | 5.7% | 920 |
| Frontier Airlines | 72.2% | 56 min | 4.0% | 75 |
| SkyWest Airlines | 67.2% | 223 min | 2.9% | 69 |
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly PHL to DTW
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 6,011 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5am–6am | Limited data | 26 | |
| 6am–7am | 91.0% | 1.9% | 851 |
| 7am–8am | 88.9% | 0.0% | 108 |
| 8am–9am | 82.2% | 2.4% | 376 |
| 9am–10am | 87.9% | 1.6% | 696 |
| 10am–11am | 84.5% | 1.1% | 287 |
| 11am–12pm | 88.4% | 0.0% | 138 |
| 12pm–1pm | 84.7% | 1.6% | 638 |
| 1pm–2pm | 75.0% | 1.7% | 467 |
| 2pm–3pm | 80.5% | 2.4% | 85 |
| 3pm–4pm | 75.0% | 4.1% | 246 |
| 4pm–5pm | 68.6% | 3.8% | 212 |
| 5pm–6pm | 72.9% | 1.2% | 597 |
| 6pm–7pm | 71.9% | 3.3% | 184 |
| 7pm–8pm | 67.1% | 4.2% | 333 |
| 8pm–9pm | 69.5% | 3.0% | 338 |
| 9pm–10pm | 71.1% | 10.2% | 305 |
| 10pm–11pm | 77.3% | 11.3% | 124 |
Best day of the week
24 months, by day of departure.
Best month to fly
24 months, by calendar month.
Holiday travel on PHL 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) | 69.4% | -13.4 pts | 0.8% | 122 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 70.9% | -11.9 pts | 2.3% | 218 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 71.6% | -11.2 pts | 5.0% | 1,132 |
| All other days | 82.8% | — | 2.1% | 4,539 |
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).