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DTW to LAX: distance & flight time
Detroit (Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport) → Los Angeles (Los Angeles International Airport)
1,975 mi
3,178 km · 1,716 nm
4h 20m
estimated nonstop flight time
-3h
time difference · heading west
See live DTW→LAX fares Phone-only fares on this route — call free
Flight time details
1,975 miles nonstop takes roughly 4h 20m gate to gate, flying west. Add 45–90 minutes per connection if there's no nonstop service. Remember to factor the 3-hour time set-back when reading arrival times on your ticket.
The two airports
- DTW — Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport · Detroit, United States
- LAX — Los Angeles International Airport · Los Angeles, United States
Distances are great-circle ("as the crow flies") — the same basis airlines use for frequent-flyer miles.
Alternate airports can cut this fare
Flying from or into a nearby airport is the #1 trick our agents use to beat online prices. Call and we'll compare every combination on one call.
Near DTW
- YIP · Willow Run Airport9 mi away
- ARB · Ann Arbor Municipal Airport20 mi away
- YQG · Windsor Airport21 mi away
- DET · Coleman A. Young Municipal Airport22 mi away
Near LAX
- HHR · Jack Northrop Field Hawthorne Municipal Airport4 mi away
- SMO · Santa Monica Municipal Airport6 mi away
- TOA · Zamperini Field10 mi away
- LGB · Long Beach /Daugherty Field/ Airport17 mi away
Frequently asked questions
How far is DTW from LAX?
The flight distance from Detroit (DTW) to Los Angeles (LAX) is 1,975 miles (3,178 km, 1,716 nautical miles), measured along the great-circle route airlines actually fly.
How long is the flight from DTW to LAX?
A nonstop flight takes about 4h 20m gate to gate. Actual time varies with winds, routing and season — eastbound transatlantic flights, for example, are usually faster than the return.
What is the time difference between Detroit and Los Angeles?
Los Angeles is 3 hours behind Detroit.
What is the cheapest way to fly from DTW to LAX?
Compare live fares online, then call CheapoTrav — our agents have unpublished consolidator fares on DTW–LAX that never appear on search engines, with no booking fees.