Best Time to Fly DTW to MSP: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
Detroit Metro Wayne County → Minneapolis-St Paul International
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
Over the last 12 months, 78.5% of Detroit (DTW) to Minneapolis (MSP) flights arrived on time (1,914 scheduled flights). That is 0.9 points above the national average of 77.6%.
Delta Air Lines was the only reporting airline with regular flights on this route.
Over 24 months, Wednesday was the most reliable day (83% on time) and August the worst month (69%).
The cancellation rate was 0.7% (US average 1.8%).
DTW to MSP 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 | 78.5% | 67 min | 0.7% | 1,886 |
| Spirit Airlines | Limited data | 28 | ||
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly DTW to MSP
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 4,229 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5am–6am | Limited data | 12 | |
| 6am–7am | 98.0% | 0.0% | 51 |
| 7am–8am | 88.1% | 0.4% | 727 |
| 8am–9am | 83.3% | 0.5% | 222 |
| 9am–10am | 88.9% | 0.8% | 517 |
| 10am–11am | Limited data | 3 | |
| 11am–12pm | Limited data | 24 | |
| 12pm–1pm | 84.3% | 0.7% | 757 |
| 1pm–2pm | 63.6% | 0.0% | 44 |
| 2pm–3pm | Limited data | 2 | |
| 3pm–4pm | 73.0% | 0.0% | 64 |
| 4pm–5pm | 78.7% | 0.1% | 683 |
| 5pm–6pm | 76.4% | 0.0% | 55 |
| 6pm–7pm | 75.8% | 0.0% | 121 |
| 7pm–8pm | 66.0% | 0.0% | 628 |
| 8pm–9pm | 73.6% | 0.6% | 164 |
| 9pm–10pm | Limited data | 28 | |
| 10pm–11pm | 76.6% | 0.9% | 108 |
| 11pm–12am | Limited data | 19 | |
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 MSP
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) | 75.3% | -7.2 pts | 0.0% | 81 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 75.1% | -7.4 pts | 0.6% | 178 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 74.6% | -7.9 pts | 0.1% | 772 |
| All other days | 82.5% | — | 0.4% | 3,198 |
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).