75% of flights from Detroit to Phoenix arrived on time over the past 12 months. That is worse than the typical U.S. route. The 6 p.m. departures ran on time 80% of the time; the 7 p.m. ones 63%. Most reliable airline: American Airlines (80%). 10% of flights arrived more than an hour late or not at all.
How late?
The on-time rate treats a flight 20 minutes late the same as one 5 hours late. Here's the split for DTW → PHX: when a flight was late, it was under 45 minutes late 52% of the time. About 1 in 12 flights landed an hour or more late, and 1 in 47 three hours or more; 0.8% were cancelled outright.
- On time or early75%
- 15–30 min late8.2%
- 30–60 min late7.0%
- 1–2 hours late4.9%
- 2–3 hours late1.6%
- 3+ hours late2.1%
- Diverted0.5%
- Cancelled0.8%
Share of all 2,374 scheduled flights, past 12 months, by arrival time against schedule.
By airline
| Airline | Flights | On time | Cancelled | Typical arrival | 1h+ late | Avg when late | Operated by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delta Air Lines | 1,333 | 74% | 0.7% | −1 min | 8.9% | +64 min | Delta Air Lines |
| American Airlines | 622 | 80% | 0.6% | −12 min | 5.9% | +107 min | American Airlines |
| Frontier Airlines | 318 | 68% | 1.3% | −3 min | 14.5% | +128 min | Frontier Airlines |
| Spirit Airlines | 71 | — | — | — | — | — | Spirit Airlines |
| Southwest Airlines | 30 | — | — | — | — | — | Southwest Airlines |
Airline = the name on the ticket. Regional flights (e.g. "Delta Connection") count under the ticketing airline, and the operator is listed.
Best time of day to fly
On-time rate by scheduled departure hour (local time at DTW). Delays build through the day as late planes knock on, so early flights usually do best.
By airline and hour
| Departs | Delta Air Lines | American Airlines | Frontier Airlines |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 a.m. | — | 80% | — |
| 8 a.m. | 78% | 82% | — |
| noon | 77% | — | — |
| 4 p.m. | 70% | — | — |
| 5 p.m. | — | 82% | — |
| 6 p.m. | — | 80% | — |
| 7 p.m. | — | — | 60% |
| 8 p.m. | 73% | — | — |
Last flight of the day
On DTW → PHX, each airline's last flight of the day was cancelled 0.2% of the time, against 0.7% for its earlier flights, so here the last flight is actually the safer one. It arrived 3+ hours late 1.3% of the time (earlier flights: 2.0%). It matters more than the numbers suggest. Miss an earlier flight and there's another one that evening; miss the last one and you're usually waiting until morning.
| Airline | Last departure | Last: cancelled | Last: 3h+ late | Earlier: cancelled | Next morning |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Airlines | 5:56 p.m. | 0.0% | 1.6% | 0.0% | first flight 8:10 a.m. |
| Delta Air Lines | 8:25 p.m. | 0.3% | 1.1% | 0.8% | first flight 8:45 a.m. |
Last flight = the airline's last scheduled departure on this route that day, on days it flies the route at least twice; past 12 months. Times are typical scheduled times over the latest three months.
By month
Each calendar month pooled over 2023–2026. Best: October (85%). Worst: January (67%).
By day of week
| Day | Flights | On time | Cancelled |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | 358 | 74% | 0.8% |
| Tuesday | 304 | 76% | 0.7% |
| Wednesday | 308 | 80% | 1.3% |
| Thursday | 353 | 78% | 0.3% |
| Friday | 344 | 73% | 0.9% |
| Saturday | 337 | 77% | 0.6% |
| Sunday | 370 | 68% | 1.1% |
Why flights were late
Share of delay minutes on flights 15+ minutes late, as reported to BTS by the airlines.
Cancellations: airline 17 · weather 2
Month by month
Flight numbers on this route
Regular flights with at least 120 scheduled trips in the past year. Sorted by departure time.
| Flight | Departs | Flights | On time | Cancelled | Typical arrival | Operated by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| F9 4671 | 6:00 a.m. | 236 | 69% | 0.9% | −4 min | Frontier Airlines |
| AA 3141 | 7:35 a.m. | 120 | 81% | 0.0% | −10 min | American Airlines |
| DL 1070 | 8:35 a.m. | 365 | 78% | 1.1% | −2 min | Delta Air Lines |
| DL 813 | 12:48 p.m. | 301 | 77% | 0.7% | −1 min | Delta Air Lines |
| DL 1135 | 4:55 p.m. | 220 | 65% | 1.4% | 0 min | Delta Air Lines |
| DL 2076 | 8:18 p.m. | 345 | 73% | 0.0% | 0 min | Delta Air Lines |
Worst days in the past year
| Date | Flights | On time | Cancelled |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 3, 2025 | 5 | 0% | 0 |
| Jan 21, 2026 | 5 | 0% | 0 |
| Nov 9, 2025 | 8 | 13% | 1 |
| Jan 1, 2026 | 7 | 14% | 0 |
| Jan 25, 2026 | 6 | 17% | 0 |
Questions
How often are flights from DTW to PHX on time?
75% of 2,374 scheduled flights from Detroit, MI to Phoenix, AZ arrived within 15 minutes of schedule between September 2025 and August 2026. 0.8% were cancelled.
What is the best time of day to fly DTW to PHX?
Flights scheduled to leave at 6 p.m. were the most reliable (80% on time). The 7 p.m. departures were the least (63%).
Which airline is most on time from DTW to PHX?
American Airlines: 80% of its 622 flights on the route arrived on time. Delta Air Lines: 74%. Frontier Airlines: 68%.
What month has the most delays from DTW to PHX?
January (67% on time). The best month is October (85%), over 2023–2026.
Is the last flight of the day from DTW to PHX more likely to be cancelled?
No, the opposite. Each airline's last DTW–PHX flight of the day was cancelled 0.2% of the time over the past year, against 0.7% for its earlier flights. If the last flight is cancelled, the next one is usually the following morning.
Related
- PHX → DTW (return)
- Detroit Metro (DTW) delays by hour
- Flights into Phoenix Sky Harbor (PHX)
- Delta Air Lines on-time record
- American Airlines on-time record
- Frontier Airlines on-time record
- Spirit Airlines on-time record
- Southwest Airlines on-time record
- Connecting off this flight? Check the risk
Domestic flights by the airlines that report to the U.S. DOT, plus their regional partners. "On time" means arriving less than 15 minutes after schedule; cancelled and diverted flights count as not on time. Past performance is a guide, not a forecast. Method.