Airport Airport

DTW Detroit Metropolitan Airport TSA Times

IATA Code:

DTW


Timezone:

UTC/GMT -4:00 hours

Airport local time:

Wednesday, 3:37pm

Last Updated:
3:20 PM (UTC/GMT -4:00 hours)2026-04-01
  • Data

    Qsensor makes use of data from Detroit Metropolitan Airport.

  • Disclaimer

    Waiting times may not accurately reflect your experience. It is advisable to arrive at the airport well in advance and follow the recommendations of the airlines and airports.

  • Airport Last Updated

    3:20 PM (UTC/GMT -4:00 hours)2026-04-01

Wait Times by Day of Week

Average wait times based on the last 3 weeks of data.

5m
Mon
5m
Tue
6m
Wed
5m
Thu
6m
Fri
5m
Sat
6m
Sun

Average historical wait times

Based on data from the past 3 weeks.

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  • Weekday breakdown

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Best & Worst Times to Fly

Based on historical tsa wait times across all days of the week.

Best Time
Night
9pm - 4am
2 min avg wait
Worst Time
Early Morning
4am - 8am
8 min avg wait
Flying in the Night instead of Early Morning could save you up to 6 minutes in tsa lines.
Guide to Navigating Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW)

Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) consists of two primary terminals: the McNamara Terminal and the Evans Terminal. This guide will help you navigate these terminals, understand the security checkpoints, and take advantage of TSA Pre✓® and CLEAR services.

The McNamara Terminal primarily serves Delta Air Lines, along with a few other airlines. It is a large terminal with three concourses (A, B, and C) and offers a wide array of dining, shopping, and service options. The main security checkpoints in the McNamara Terminal are located on Level 3 in the Ticketing Lobby, where most passengers enter after checking in at the airline counters. There is also a security checkpoint on Level 2, which is accessible via the bridge from the parking garage. Additionally, guests staying at the Westin Detroit Metropolitan Airport Hotel have access to a dedicated security checkpoint that connects directly to the terminal, offering convenient access to the gates.

The Evans Terminal, also known as the North Terminal, serves most non-Delta airlines. This terminal is smaller than McNamara but offers similar amenities, including shops, restaurants, and services. The main security checkpoint is located in the Lobby and Ticketing Area, where passengers proceed through security after checking in. There is also a TSA Pre✓® lane available for eligible passengers.

Security is a vital step in the airport journey, and DTW has several security checkpoints strategically located in both terminals. In the McNamara Terminal, security checkpoints are found on Level 3 in the Ticketing Lobby, on Level 2 at the bridge from the parking garage, and at the Westin Hotel entrance for hotel guests. In the Evans Terminal, the primary checkpoint is in the Lobby and Ticketing Area.

TSA Pre✓® is available at DTW to expedite the security process for eligible passengers. This service allows you to keep your shoes, belts, and light jackets on, and your laptop and compliant liquids can remain in your bag. To apply for TSA Pre✓® membership, visit tsa.gov/precheck. The TSA Pre✓® office is conveniently located in the McNamara Terminal’s domestic baggage claim area.

CLEAR is another service available at DTW that helps passengers move quickly through airport security. With CLEAR, you can bypass the ID check lines and proceed directly to the physical screening process. CLEAR lanes are available at both main checkpoints in the McNamara Terminal. To learn more about CLEAR or to enroll, visit their official website.

To ensure a smooth experience at DTW, it is advisable to arrive at least two hours before your flight, especially during peak travel times, to account for check-in and security procedures. If you are eligible, using TSA Pre✓® or CLEAR can significantly reduce your wait time at security checkpoints. Double-check your airline and gate information to ensure you go to the correct terminal, whether it be McNamara or Evans. Finally, stay informed by monitoring flight status updates and terminal information through the DTW website or your airline’s app.

With this guide, you should be well-prepared to navigate DTW efficiently and enjoy a stress-free travel experience. Safe travels!

Detroit Metropolitan Airport FAQ

The current TSA wait time at Detroit Metropolitan Airport is approximately 4 minutes.

TSA wait times at Detroit Metropolitan Airport vary throughout the day. Check the historical wait time chart on this page to find the quietest times.

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Live data: For the majority of the airports we track we use live data from the airport. For the remaining airports we provide an estimate, and we communicate that it’s a best-guess only.

Search: By airport name, IATA code, city, county, country or region. To save you time, we keep your last visited airports on the front page. If you can’t find an airport, contact us using the contact form and we will look to add it. 

Current average wait time: The airport’s latest average security, passport control or customs queue wait time. If the airport has multiple queues, we display the average of them. If you want a more granular view that includes wait times for individual queues, take a look at the terminal level wait times. We regularly update each airport’s data,  but make sure you click the “i” icon to check when the last update was made.

Terminal level wait times: The latest security or customs queue wait time for individual terminals. Click on the terminal to access more information at the terminal level. Please note that this data is not available for all airports. We are working to expand this functionality to as many airports as possible.

Historical wait times: The typical wait time on different days and times over the past 2 weeks. Click the filter at the top right of the graph to cycle through the days of the week.

Add a security or customs queue wait time: How was your airport security experience? Contribute to the community by inputting your wait time. This feature is only available for airports where Qsensor does not automatically track data. To add a wait time, simply click the “Add Your Time” button on the airports page and follow the instructions.

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Please note that this data is monitored and may be modified or deleted if found to be invalid.

Click the “i” icon to view and take note of more contextual information on each airport. “Airport Last Updated” denotes the last time the data was refreshed.

Our sources for wait time data vary and may include air travel data aggregators, federal agencies such as the TSA, CATSA CBP, or information from the airport and its affiliated service providers. For some airports, Qsensor utilises its proprietary queue modelling technology to project wait times. Additionally, we crowdsource data from passengers who have input their wait time using the “Add Your Time” button.

Qsensor is not affiliated with any airport, airline, or associated service provider.

We regularly check queue times and flight delays for accuracy, however all times are estimates and waiting times and delays may not accurately reflect your experience. It is advisable to arrive at the airport well in advance and follow the recommendations of the airlines and airports.

There are a wide array of ways that queue data is measured. Including but not limited to looking at how long a passenger takes to get from scanning their boarding pass to exiting the security or customs area. Auditing passengers on how long it took them to pass through security or customs as well as Qsensors’ proprietary system for user added wait times. 

For airport wait times, we currently support over 110 airports worldwide. Whether it be London Heathrow, Istanbul, or Miami – we have got you covered. More are added all the time. Is Qsensor missing an airport that you want to be supported? We are more than happy to accommodate your request, get in touch via the contact form

For flight delays and cancellations, we currently support 7 airports, with the goal of expanding coverage going forwards.

Qsensor automatically tracks wait times for a variety of airports including London Heathrow, Frankfurt, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta, Chicago O’Hare, Amsterdam Schiphol, Kempegowda Bangalore, Madrid Barajas, Hong Kong, Istanbul, and many more!

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Get insights into flight on-time performance and make better travel decisions. Please note, this feature is not available for all airports, but we’re adding more all the time!

To keep wait times relevant, the message “There is currently no data for this airport.” is shown when no traveller has recently inputted a wait time.

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For airports Qsensor automatically tracks, this message may also be shown if we haven’t recently gotten data from the airport. This typically rectifies itself within 12 hours.

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This FAQ section is updated periodically, please check back for updates. This FAQ was last updated on the 15th of March, 2026.

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