Best Time to Fly RDU to DTW: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
Raleigh-Durham International → Detroit Metro Wayne County
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
Over the last 12 months, 87.9% of Raleigh/Durham (RDU) to Detroit (DTW) flights arrived on time (1,499 scheduled flights). That is 10.2 points above the national average of 77.6%.
Spirit Airlines was the most punctual of the 3 airlines on the route at 88.7%, while Frontier Airlines trailed at 87.3%.
October has been the best month (92% on time) and Sunday the weakest day of the week (82%).
1.5% of flights were cancelled, versus 1.8% nationally.
RDU 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 | 88.7% | 62 min | 0.0% | 53 |
| Delta Air Lines | 87.9% | 83 min | 1.6% | 1,335 |
| Frontier Airlines | 87.3% | 56 min | 0.9% | 111 |
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly RDU to DTW
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 3,051 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5am–6am | 94.0% | 1.0% | 678 |
| 6am–7am | 90.3% | 0.0% | 31 |
| 7am–8am | Limited data | 23 | |
| 8am–9am | Limited data | 9 | |
| 9am–10am | 91.6% | 1.3% | 521 |
| 10am–11am | 92.7% | 1.0% | 97 |
| 11am–12pm | Limited data | 9 | |
| 12pm–1pm | 88.4% | 2.4% | 124 |
| 1pm–2pm | 85.4% | 0.5% | 629 |
| 2pm–3pm | Limited data | 2 | |
| 3pm–4pm | Limited data | 20 | |
| 4pm–5pm | 85.9% | 1.4% | 72 |
| 5pm–6pm | 80.1% | 1.3% | 315 |
| 6pm–7pm | 75.9% | 0.6% | 485 |
| 7pm–8pm | 81.2% | 0.0% | 32 |
| 8pm–9pm | Limited data | 2 | |
| 9pm–10pm | Limited data | 2 | |
Best day of the week
24 months, by day of departure.
Best month to fly
24 months, by calendar month.
Holiday travel on RDU 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) | 87.0% | -1.5 pts | 0.0% | 69 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 78.6% | -9.8 pts | 2.0% | 100 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 81.0% | -7.4 pts | 1.9% | 542 |
| All other days | 88.4% | — | 0.7% | 2,340 |
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).