Best Time to Fly DTW to TPA: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
Detroit Metro Wayne County → Tampa International
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
Over the last 12 months, 79.2% of Detroit (DTW) to Tampa (TPA) flights arrived on time (2,328 scheduled flights). That is 1.5 points above the national average of 77.6%.
Among 3 airlines, Delta Air Lines led with 81.4% on time and Frontier Airlines was last with 72.7%.
Over 24 months, Wednesday was the most reliable day (85% on time) and January the worst month (67%).
The cancellation rate was 1.9% (US average 1.8%).
DTW to TPA 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 | 81.4% | 62 min | 1.3% | 1,718 |
| Spirit Airlines | 72.9% | 64 min | 4.3% | 461 |
| Frontier Airlines | 72.7% | 63 min | 0.7% | 144 |
| Southwest Airlines | Limited data | 5 | ||
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly DTW to TPA
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 4,632 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5am–6am | 90.9% | 3.5% | 57 |
| 6am–7am | 72.6% | 7.6% | 158 |
| 7am–8am | 90.1% | 1.9% | 732 |
| 8am–9am | 78.8% | 0.8% | 258 |
| 9am–10am | 84.5% | 0.0% | 123 |
| 10am–11am | 80.4% | 1.5% | 784 |
| 11am–12pm | 75.0% | 0.0% | 32 |
| 12pm–1pm | 82.7% | 2.5% | 278 |
| 1pm–2pm | 69.9% | 0.0% | 83 |
| 2pm–3pm | 79.4% | 2.5% | 571 |
| 3pm–4pm | 79.9% | 0.7% | 150 |
| 4pm–5pm | 78.5% | 0.8% | 122 |
| 5pm–6pm | 75.3% | 0.0% | 147 |
| 6pm–7pm | 75.0% | 1.2% | 413 |
| 7pm–8pm | 83.8% | 0.0% | 105 |
| 8pm–9pm | 71.0% | 1.0% | 407 |
| 9pm–10pm | 63.6% | 3.0% | 202 |
| 10pm–11pm | Limited data | 10 | |
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 TPA
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) | 71.6% | -9.3 pts | 1.2% | 82 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 60.9% | -20.0 pts | 1.3% | 228 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 78.8% | -2.1 pts | 2.1% | 660 |
| All other days | 80.9% | — | 1.7% | 3,662 |
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).