Best Time to Fly SFO to DTW: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
San Francisco International → Detroit Metro Wayne County
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
Over the last 12 months, 78.9% of San Francisco (SFO) to Detroit (DTW) flights arrived on time (1,794 scheduled flights). That is 1.2 points above the national average of 77.6%.
United Airlines was the most punctual of the 2 airlines on the route at 85.2%, while Delta Air Lines trailed at 77.0%.
April has been the best month (91% on time) and Sunday the weakest day of the week (77%).
0.7% of flights were cancelled, versus 1.8% nationally.
SFO 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlines | 85.2% | 52 min | 0.2% | 406 |
| Delta Air Lines | 77.0% | 52 min | 0.8% | 1,388 |
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly SFO to DTW
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 3,633 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5am–6am | 94.6% | 0.7% | 708 |
| 7am–8am | Limited data | 22 | |
| 8am–9am | 85.3% | 0.0% | 198 |
| 9am–10am | 97.1% | 0.0% | 35 |
| 10am–11am | 85.4% | 0.0% | 137 |
| 11am–12pm | 76.9% | 1.1% | 664 |
| 12pm–1pm | 76.9% | 0.0% | 214 |
| 1pm–2pm | 88.1% | 1.6% | 121 |
| 2pm–3pm | 70.7% | 0.9% | 452 |
| 3pm–4pm | 77.1% | 0.0% | 48 |
| 4pm–5pm | 80.5% | 0.0% | 41 |
| 9pm–10pm | 83.0% | 0.7% | 154 |
| 10pm–11pm | 78.2% | 0.4% | 702 |
| 11pm–12am | 56.6% | 0.7% | 137 |
Best day of the week
24 months, by day of departure.
Best month to fly
24 months, by calendar month.
Holiday travel on SFO 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) | 85.9% | +2.8 pts | 0.0% | 71 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 74.5% | -8.6 pts | 1.4% | 139 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 72.9% | -10.2 pts | 1.1% | 719 |
| All other days | 83.1% | — | 0.5% | 2,704 |
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).