Detroit (DTW) to Dallas–Fort Worth (DFW)

Distance, flight time and the air traffic controllers who guide you.

Quick answer

Detroit (DTW) to Dallas–Fort Worth (DFW) is 986 miles in a straight line, about 2h 28m gate to gate. Your flight is handed between 10 air traffic control facilities along the way.

986miles
857nautical miles
1,586kilometers
~2h 28mestimated flight time
−1 htime change on arrival
Southwestinitial heading

Who handles your flight

Every airliner is passed from one air traffic control facility to the next. On the most direct path, these are the teams that guide you, in order. Weather and traffic can send a flight through other centers, so your actual flight may differ a little.

  1. DTWTowerDetroit Metro Tower (DTW)Clears you for takeoffThank them →
  2. D21TRACONDetroit TRACON (D21)Guides the climb outThank them →
  3. ZOBCenterCleveland ARTCC (ZOB)Takes over at cruising altitudeThank them →
  4. ZAUCenterChicago ARTCC (ZAU)Keeps you separated en routeThank them →
  5. ZIDCenterIndianapolis ARTCC (ZID)Keeps you separated en routeThank them →
  6. ZKCCenterKansas City ARTCC (ZKC)Keeps you separated en routeThank them →
  7. ZMECenterMemphis ARTCC (ZME)Keeps you separated en routeThank them →
  8. ZFWCenterFort Worth ARTCC (ZFW)Starts your descentThank them →
  9. D10TRACONDallas-Fort Worth TRACON (D10)Lines you up for the approachThank them →
  10. DFWTowerDallas-Fort Worth Tower (DFW)Clears you to landThank them →

Flying the other way

Dallas–Fort Worth (DFW) to Detroit (DTW)

DFW → D10 → ZFW → ZME → ZKC → ZAU → ZID → ZOB → D21 → DTW

About the airports

Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport

Detroit, MI

Codes: DTW · KDTW

Time zone: Eastern

Control tower: Detroit Metro Tower (DTW)

Thank the tower →

Dallas Fort Worth International Airport

Dallas-Fort Worth, TX

Codes: DFW · KDFW

Time zone: Central

Control tower: Dallas-Fort Worth Tower (DFW)

Thank the tower →

More routes

All flight routes →

How we figure this out

Distance is the great-circle distance between the two airports, the shortest path over the curved Earth. Flight time assumes an average airliner speed of about 500 mph plus about 30 minutes for taxi, takeoff and landing. The list of facilities follows the same path, using each airport's tower and approach control and the FAA's en route center boundaries.

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Common questions

How long is the flight from Detroit (DTW) to Dallas–Fort Worth (DFW)?

About 2h 28m gate to gate for the 986-mile trip. Flying west, you often fight a headwind, so it can take a little longer.

How far is Detroit (DTW) from Dallas–Fort Worth (DFW)?

986 miles (857 nautical miles, 1,586 km) in a straight line. The path your flight actually takes is usually a little longer.

Which air traffic controllers handle a flight from Detroit (DTW) to Dallas–Fort Worth (DFW)?

Usually 10 facilities: Detroit Metro Tower (DTW), Detroit TRACON (D21), Cleveland ARTCC (ZOB), Chicago ARTCC (ZAU), Indianapolis ARTCC (ZID), Kansas City ARTCC (ZKC), Memphis ARTCC (ZME), Fort Worth ARTCC (ZFW), Dallas-Fort Worth TRACON (D10) and Dallas-Fort Worth Tower (DFW). You can thank each one on its own wall at Thank ATC.

Is there a time change between Detroit (DTW) and Dallas–Fort Worth (DFW)?

Yes. Dallas–Fort Worth (DFW) is 1 hour behind Detroit (DTW).

Updated October 2026

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