Itineraries flown on 20+ days in the Jun 6 – Jul 31, 2026 schedule · each leg’s record Aug 2025 – Jul 2026

No clear winner: Delta’s DSM → DTW flights land within a few points of 4 in 5 on time whatever the hour.

Nonstops


Delta	DSM	DTW	1h 51m	81%	1.8%	1,009	Flying now

Best connections, one ticket

Most reliable Quickest (80%+ on time)

Ranked by chance you reach Detroit on time. Total trip = scheduled departure to arrival, layover included (Detroit is 1 h ahead of Des Moines). Layovers up to 4 hours. Pick a connection for the details.


Southwest Details →	DSM 05:10 → MDW 06:30WN 1772	1h 25m Chicago	MDW 07:55 → DTW 10:05WN 1775	3h 55m	95%	81%
Delta Details →	DSM 05:35 → ATL 08:44DL 2727	2h 16m Atlanta	ATL 11:00 → DTW 12:55DL 1240	6h 21m	98%	80%
American Details →	DSM 05:00 → ORD 06:39AA 4519 · flown by Republic	3h 21m Chicago	ORD 10:00 → DTW 12:32AA 3498 · flown by Envoy	6h 34m	97%	80%
United Details →	DSM 06:20 → IAH 08:49UA 1982	56m Houston	IAH 09:45 → DTW 13:42UA 4064 · flown by Mesa	6h 22m	89%	78%
Delta Details →	DSM 11:30 → ATL 14:43DL 1704	2h 27m Atlanta	ATL 17:10 → DTW 19:11DL 2067	6h 41m	98%	72%
United Details →	DSM 06:00 → ORD 07:40UA 1856	3h 10m Chicago	ORD 10:50 → DTW 13:27UA 5756 · flown by SkyWest	6h 27m	96%	72%
Delta Details →	DSM 10:54 → MSP 12:06DL 4998 · flown by Endeavor	49m Minneapolis	MSP 12:55 → DTW 15:38DL 1519	3h 44m	80%	71%
United Details →	DSM 11:23 → ORD 13:03UA 1410	1h 57m Chicago	ORD 15:00 → DTW 17:39UA 5867 · flown by SkyWest	5h 16m	92%	71%
Tight connection: often missed
Delta Details →	DSM 06:50 → MSP 08:12DL 5402 · flown by Endeavor	48m Minneapolis	MSP 09:00 → DTW 11:43DL 1433	3h 53m	74%	65%
American Details →	DSM 16:48 → DFW 18:59AA 2421	56m Dallas-Fort Worth	DFW 19:55 → DTW 23:40AA 690	5h 52m	44%	28%
Southwest Details →	DSM 16:40 → MDW 18:00WN 1755	50m Chicago	MDW 18:50 → DTW 21:00WN 4200	3h 22m	52%	25%

Same layover, different day-part

How often the first flight arrives too late to connect (45 min minimum), for one-ticket layovers of 45–80 minutes.

Morning

IAH · 56m · leaves 06:20 11%

ORD · 51m · leaves 05:00 12%

MSP · 48m · leaves 06:50 26%

Afternoon and evening

IAH · 1h 05m · leaves 15:01 19%

DFW · 56m · leaves 16:48 56%

ORD · 50m · leaves 18:50 67%

Delays build through the day, so an afternoon first leg eats the layover. A short connection is fine early in the morning and a gamble later on.

Mixing airlines

One ticketMiss it and the airline rebooks you; bags go through. 45 min is enough.

Separate ticketsMiss it and you buy a new ticket. Re-check bags, clear security again: we require 90 min.


Southwest WN 1769 DSM 06:10 → DEN United UA 1915 DEN 09:35 → DTW Connection details →	2h 35m	7h 17m	90%	86%
United UA 5288 DSM 11:34 → DEN Delta DL 1648 DEN 14:59 → DTW Connection details →	2h 14m	7h 18m	100%	83%
American AA 4463 DSM 06:02 → PHL Delta DL 2331 PHL 12:36 → DTW Connection details →	2h 52m	7h 20m	98%	82%

Rank all connections, any airlines →

Regional partners count as the airline that sells them: SkyWest flying Delta Connection is one Delta ticket.

How these are worked out. Makes the connection: share of the last year’s flights where the first flight arrived with at least 45 minutes to spare (90 on separate tickets). Arrives on time: first flight not cancelled × connection made × second flight not cancelled and arriving within 15 minutes. Not yet counted: the second flight also leaving late (which helps), gate-to-gate distance at the hub, and rebooking after a missed connection.

About this data: US DOT on-time records, Aug 2025 – Jul 2026, all US airlines; regional flights count under the airline that sells them. Schedules (which flights and connections exist, and their times) are as of Jun 6 – Jul 31, 2026; seasonal flights outside that window aren’t ranked. Rebuilt monthly. JSON