Best Time to Fly DTW to DEN: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
Detroit Metro Wayne County → Denver International
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
3,095 flights were scheduled from Detroit (DTW) to Denver (DEN) 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%.
Frontier Airlines was the most punctual of the 4 airlines on the route at 83.5%, while Southwest Airlines trailed at 75.9%.
September has been the best month (90% on time) and Thursday the weakest day of the week (78%).
0.4% of flights were cancelled, versus 1.8% nationally.
DTW to DEN 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frontier Airlines | 83.5% | 76 min | 0.2% | 473 |
| United Airlines | 83.5% | 62 min | 0.6% | 726 |
| Delta Air Lines | 79.2% | 57 min | 0.2% | 1,246 |
| Southwest Airlines | 75.9% | 55 min | 0.6% | 649 |
| SkyWest Airlines | Limited data | 1 | ||
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly DTW to DEN
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 6,096 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5am–6am | 92.4% | 0.0% | 157 |
| 6am–7am | 90.4% | 0.0% | 334 |
| 7am–8am | 84.9% | 0.5% | 200 |
| 8am–9am | 85.2% | 0.3% | 1,174 |
| 9am–10am | 86.0% | 1.4% | 517 |
| 10am–11am | Limited data | 20 | |
| 11am–12pm | 89.0% | 0.7% | 146 |
| 12pm–1pm | 84.5% | 0.1% | 749 |
| 1pm–2pm | 85.0% | 0.4% | 280 |
| 2pm–3pm | 74.0% | 1.0% | 97 |
| 3pm–4pm | 75.1% | 0.0% | 370 |
| 4pm–5pm | 74.8% | 0.1% | 1,103 |
| 5pm–6pm | 59.6% | 0.0% | 242 |
| 6pm–7pm | 49.3% | 0.7% | 147 |
| 7pm–8pm | Limited data | 28 | |
| 8pm–9pm | 69.1% | 0.0% | 223 |
| 9pm–10pm | 62.5% | 0.4% | 233 |
| 10pm–11pm | 74.0% | 4.0% | 76 |
Best day of the week
24 months, by day of departure.
Best month to fly
24 months, by calendar month.
Holiday travel on DTW to DEN
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) | 73.7% | -7.5 pts | 0.0% | 114 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 66.3% | -14.9 pts | 0.4% | 259 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 75.9% | -5.3 pts | 0.5% | 1,156 |
| All other days | 81.2% | — | 0.3% | 4,567 |
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).