Best Time to Fly SAN to DTW: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
San Diego International → Detroit Metro Wayne County
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
Over the last 12 months, 85.3% of San Diego (SAN) to Detroit (DTW) flights arrived on time (1,290 scheduled flights). That is 7.6 points above the national average of 77.6%.
Among 2 airlines, Delta Air Lines led with 85.7% on time and Spirit Airlines was last with 72.2%.
Over 24 months, Tuesday was the most reliable day (91% on time) and July the worst month (77%).
The cancellation rate was 1.0% (US average 1.8%).
SAN 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 | 85.7% | 52 min | 1.0% | 1,253 |
| Spirit Airlines | 72.2% | 45 min | 2.7% | 37 |
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly SAN to DTW
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 2,536 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6am–7am | 89.9% | 0.8% | 500 |
| 7am–8am | 86.4% | 0.9% | 230 |
| 11am–12pm | 77.0% | 0.7% | 575 |
| 12pm–1pm | 78.0% | 0.5% | 220 |
| 2pm–3pm | 85.0% | 0.0% | 93 |
| 3pm–4pm | 84.3% | 0.4% | 269 |
| 10pm–11pm | 89.1% | 0.9% | 649 |
Best day of the week
24 months, by day of departure.
Best month to fly
24 months, by calendar month.
Holiday travel on SAN 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) | 88.0% | +1.1 pts | 0.0% | 50 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 73.6% | -13.3 pts | 2.8% | 109 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 78.0% | -8.9 pts | 0.6% | 490 |
| All other days | 86.9% | — | 0.6% | 1,887 |
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).