Best Time to Fly DTW to RDU: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
Detroit Metro Wayne County → Raleigh-Durham International
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
Over the last 12 months, 84.0% of Detroit (DTW) to Raleigh/Durham (RDU) flights arrived on time (1,499 scheduled flights). That is 6.4 points above the national average of 77.6%.
Spirit Airlines was the most punctual of the 3 airlines on the route at 86.8%, while Frontier Airlines trailed at 80.4%.
September has been the best month (88% on time) and Sunday the weakest day of the week (78%).
1.7% of flights were cancelled, versus 1.8% nationally.
DTW to RDU 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 | 86.8% | 51 min | 0.0% | 53 |
| Delta Air Lines | 84.2% | 64 min | 1.6% | 1,335 |
| Frontier Airlines | 80.4% | 63 min | 3.6% | 111 |
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly DTW to RDU
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 3,051 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7am–8am | 90.9% | 1.4% | 511 |
| 8am–9am | Limited data | 20 | |
| 9am–10am | 72.6% | 0.0% | 62 |
| 10am–11am | 88.9% | 0.9% | 765 |
| 11am–12pm | Limited data | 11 | |
| 12pm–1pm | Limited data | 22 | |
| 1pm–2pm | 88.2% | 0.0% | 34 |
| 2pm–3pm | 81.1% | 1.5% | 269 |
| 3pm–4pm | 84.4% | 0.5% | 396 |
| 4pm–5pm | 84.4% | 0.9% | 110 |
| 5pm–6pm | 85.7% | 0.0% | 35 |
| 6pm–7pm | Limited data | 13 | |
| 7pm–8pm | 79.1% | 6.5% | 46 |
| 8pm–9pm | 69.2% | 7.1% | 42 |
| 9pm–10pm | 75.9% | 1.1% | 713 |
| 10pm–11pm | 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 DTW to RDU
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) | 78.3% | -7.4 pts | 0.0% | 69 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 72.5% | -13.2 pts | 2.0% | 100 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 79.7% | -6.0 pts | 2.0% | 542 |
| All other days | 85.7% | — | 1.0% | 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).