Our Review of Detroit Metro Airport

Table of contents: Our Review of Detroit Metro Airport Pros and Cons of Detroit Metro Airport Mini-Guide of the Airport (2' Guide) How we calculate On Time Performance Some Stats

Our Review of Detroit Metro Airport

At Plan Your Trips, we have analyzed hundreds of airports around the world, gaining a clear understanding of what users expect when visiting an airport. With this know-how, we have created this guide, placing passengers at the forefront of everything, aiming to simplify and enhance the airport experience.

In this guide, our goal is to present information in a manner that is both quick and reliable. Recognizing that passengers often have limited time and may be in a hurry, we strive to ensure that they do not waste time unnecessarily.

Another key focus of our guide is to highlight the strengths of the airport and also the weaknesses, and in some cases, offer recommendations to travelers. In alignment with this approach, we provide users with aggregated information on delays and on-time performance, analyzing both airlines and individual flights.

Pros and Cons of Detroit Metro Airport

PROS

Location: DTW is located about 18 miles southwest of downtown Detroit, making it accessible for travelers to and from the metropolitan area. The airport serves as a significant gateway to the Midwest.

Airline Hub: Detroit Airport is a hub for Delta Air Lines and is a focus city for Spirit Airlines. DTW offers a vast network of domestic and international flights, making it a key connection point for travelers.

Modern and Clean Facilities: Modern amenities at the airport include a selection of stores, eateries, and lounges. It offers facilities including business centers and VIP services for both leisure and business tourists.

Transportation Options: The airport offers a variety of transportation options, including as shuttles, public buses, ride-sharing services, taxis, and rental automobiles, providing easy access to and from the city.

CONS

Capacity Restraints: The airport may get crowded during periods of high travel demand, which might make travelers wait longer and feel uncomfortable.

Frequency of Public Transport Connectivity: Although there are a number of transportation alternatives, the convenience and regularity of public transportation services may not be as high as at some other significant U.S. airports.

Limited Dining Options in Certain Areas: There aren’t many eating options in some parts of the airport, especially the North Terminal, which might not please every traveler.

Immigration Queues: Like many large airports, DTW can experience long waits during peak hours at immigration, which can be frustrating for travelers.

Mini-Guide of the Airport (2' Guide)

There are Two Terminals: DTW has two main terminals; the McNamara Terminal and the Evans Terminal (North Terminal). McNamara Terminal serves inbound and outbound flights operated by Air France, Delta Airlines and AeroMexico. Evans Terminal operates non-SkyTeam airlines. So, be aware of which terminal your flight departs from to avoid confusion at the time of departure.

Transport to and from Detroit: The city and the airport are well-served by shuttles, public buses, taxis, rental automobiles, and ride-sharing services. Ride-sharing services and taxis are easily accessible and convenient.

Check-in Areas:

McNamara Terminal: The check-in area is located on the level 3 of McNamara terminal. Move to the lower level from check-in area, to find boarding gates and concourses.
North Terminal: The check-in area and Departures level is located in level 2 of the Evans terminal. It’s well-organized, with security control located nearby to access to Concourse D.

Dining and Shopping:

McNamara Terminal: It offers a variety of stores, eateries, and cafes, as well as the Delta Sky Club lounges and many eating options.
North Terminal: Evans terminal also offers dining and shopping options. You’ll find The Lufthansa Business Lounge for a more comfortable waiting experience.

Family-Friendly Facilities: DTW is a family-friendly airport with specific family check-in facilities in both terminals, family restrooms, and children’s play spaces.

Lounges: Choose from several lounges, including the Delta Sky Club in the McNamara Terminal and The Lufthansa Business Lounge in the North Terminal. These lounges offer food, refreshments, and comfortable seating.

Parking: Multiple parking options are available, including short-term and long-term parking, an economy lot, and valet services. The Big Blue Deck and McNamara Terminal Garage are the main parking areas.

Additional Assistance: DTW offers additional assistance like wheelchair & mobility assistance, and special assistance for people traveling with pets and traveling with oxygen.

How we calculate On Time Performance

On various pages of our website, you will encounter a metric widely utilized in aviation and other forms of transportation known as OTP (On Time Performance). We believe that providing this metric assists passengers in planning their trips and exploring alternatives before purchasing their flight tickets.

We calculate the On Time Performance for all flights and airlines, when we have enough data to do so. In certain instances, it may not be feasible to accurately compute the On-Time Performance for a specific flight or airline due to inadequate or non-representative data, which could result in misleading conclusions.

Our calculation of On Time Performance and delay information solely relies on arrival times. This approach is chosen over calculating departure delays, as we consider arrival punctuality to be of primary concern to passengers.

The On Time Performance displayed on our website is calculated as follows:

On Time: Flights that arrive within 15 minutes of their scheduled arrival time, or earlier. In the absence of data for a specific flight, we assume the flight arrives on time, to avoid penalizing airlines for data unavailability.
Moderate Delay: Flights that arrive with a delay of 15 to 30 minutes.
Significant Delay: Flights that arrive with a delay of 30 to 60 minutes.
Major Delay: Flights that arrive with a delay exceeding 60 minutes.
Average Delay: The average delay is calculated by considering flights that arrive early as having a delay of 0 minutes. Early arrivals do not contribute to reducing the average delay calculation