Best Time to Fly STL to DTW: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
St Louis Lambert International → Detroit Metro Wayne County
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
Over the last 12 months, 81.3% of St. Louis (STL) to Detroit (DTW) flights arrived on time (1,894 scheduled flights). That is 3.7 points above the national average of 77.6%.
Among 3 airlines, Delta Air Lines led with 88.0% on time and SkyWest Airlines was last with 71.3%.
Over 24 months, Tuesday was the most reliable day (88% on time) and July the worst month (73%).
The cancellation rate was 1.2% (US average 1.8%).
STL 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 | 88.0% | 101 min | 1.7% | 1,095 |
| Southwest Airlines | 72.3% | 57 min | 0.2% | 597 |
| SkyWest Airlines | 71.3% | 110 min | 1.1% | 183 |
| Spirit Airlines | Limited data | 19 | ||
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly STL to DTW
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 3,712 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6am–7am | 91.9% | 1.4% | 729 |
| 7am–8am | 93.2% | 0.0% | 73 |
| 8am–9am | 96.3% | 0.0% | 163 |
| 9am–10am | 85.0% | 0.0% | 107 |
| 10am–11am | 86.2% | 1.2% | 603 |
| 11am–12pm | 87.0% | 0.0% | 263 |
| 12pm–1pm | 88.6% | 2.8% | 36 |
| 1pm–2pm | 80.6% | 1.2% | 162 |
| 2pm–3pm | 84.9% | 0.0% | 298 |
| 3pm–4pm | 68.8% | 0.0% | 61 |
| 4pm–5pm | 94.1% | 0.0% | 34 |
| 5pm–6pm | 83.5% | 0.2% | 467 |
| 6pm–7pm | 81.8% | 1.4% | 424 |
| 7pm–8pm | 56.7% | 1.3% | 159 |
| 8pm–9pm | 56.5% | 0.8% | 132 |
| 9pm–10pm | Limited data | 1 | |
Best day of the week
24 months, by day of departure.
Best month to fly
24 months, by calendar month.
Holiday travel on STL 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) | 69.3% | -17.6 pts | 1.3% | 76 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 83.7% | -3.2 pts | 0.7% | 142 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 75.5% | -11.4 pts | 1.2% | 728 |
| All other days | 86.9% | — | 0.7% | 2,766 |
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).