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SMO to DTW: distance & flight time
Santa Monica (Santa Monica Municipal Airport) → Detroit (Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport)
1,975 mi
3,178 km · 1,716 nm
4h 20m
estimated nonstop flight time
+3h
time difference · heading northeast
See live SMO→DTW fares Phone-only fares on this route — call free
Flight time details
1,975 miles nonstop takes roughly 4h 20m gate to gate, flying northeast. Add 45–90 minutes per connection if there's no nonstop service. Remember to factor the 3-hour time gain when reading arrival times on your ticket.
The two airports
- SMO — Santa Monica Municipal Airport · Santa Monica, United States
- DTW — Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport · Detroit, 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 SMO
- LAX · Los Angeles International Airport6 mi away
- HHR · Jack Northrop Field Hawthorne Municipal Airport9 mi away
- BUR · Bob Hope Airport14 mi away
- VNY · Van Nuys Airport14 mi away
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
Frequently asked questions
How far is SMO from DTW?
The flight distance from Santa Monica (SMO) to Detroit (DTW) 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 SMO to DTW?
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 Santa Monica and Detroit?
Detroit is 3 hours ahead of Santa Monica.
What is the cheapest way to fly from SMO to DTW?
Compare live fares online, then call CheapoTrav — our agents have unpublished consolidator fares on SMO–DTW that never appear on search engines, with no booking fees.