Is a 30-Minute Layover Enough at DTW?
Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County — Detroit
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High Risk — 50% miss rate
Probably not — a 30 minutes layover at DTW means roughly a 50% chance of missing your flight.
50%
Miss Rate
81%
On-Time Rate
77m
Avg Delay
Why 30 Minutes Is High Risk at DTW
A 30-minute connection at DTW is very risky. There's roughly a 50% chance you'll miss your connecting flight. We strongly recommend at least 138 minutes, or consider booking a direct flight.
·Airport reliability: DTW has a 81% on-time rate
−Below minimum connection time: DTW requires at least 45 minutes for domestic connections. You have 30.
−High average delay: When flights are late at DTW, the average delay is 77 minutes
Minimum Connection Time at DTW
45m
Domestic
120m
International
Your 30-minute layover is 15 minutes below the domestic minimum. Even without any delays, you may not have enough time to reach your gate.
Terminal Transfers at DTW
How to transfer: ExpressTram within McNamara Terminal; bus between McNamara and North Terminal
Transfer time: 3-5 minutes within McNamara; 15-20 minutes between terminals
!TSA re-screening: Required for some terminal changes — McNamara and North terminals are not connected airside. Changing between them requires a bus and re-screening.
Compare Other Layover Times at DTW
Click any row to see the full analysis for that layover time.
What to Do Instead
- →Look for itineraries with 138+ minute layovers at DTW
- →Consider a direct flight if available
- →Book both legs on the same ticket (airline must rebook you if you miss the connection)
- →Choose an early morning first leg — morning flights are delayed less often
Check a Different Layover Time
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