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Data source: OurAirports (2026-09-01 Snapshot) · Methodology & Verification →

Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport

Compiled by Bill Gao

Detroit, Michigan (United States)

IATA: DTW ICAO: KDTW

Longest Active Runway

12,003 ft

3,659 meters

Field Elevation

645 ft

197 m MSL

Runway Inventory

6 active

Lighted / Paved

Coordinates & Class

42.2138°, -83.3538°

LARGE AIRPORT

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Multi-Universe Rankings & Statistical Standing

How ranks work →

RunwayFacts Published Dataset

#186 of 650

In curated primary commercial index

Global Commercial Universe

#291 of 7558

Top 3.9% percentile worldwide

National Standing (United States)

#18 of 63 in US

#58 of 2020 in full national registry

vs Large Airport Median

+20%

Compared to 10,000 ft baseline

💡 DTW in numbers: 12,003 ft longest runway · #186 of 650 published · #291 of 7,558 worldwide (top 3.9%) · #18 in United States.

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Editorial Aerodrome Deep Dive: Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW)

Curated Aerodrome Profile

Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport is widely regarded as one of North America's most delay-resilient airfield hubs. Its four parallel runways allow dual simultaneous arrival and departure streams, while the longest strip, 04R/22L at 12,003 ft, easily accommodates intercontinental flights connecting Detroit with Tokyo, Seoul, and Europe. Positioned at 645 ft MSL, DTW features exceptional runway de-icing logistics and rapid deplaning taxi networks.

Runway Layout & Magnetic Alignments

Six active runways: four parallel north-south vectors 03L/21R (8,501 ft), 03R/21L (10,001 ft), 04L/22R (10,000 ft), 04R/22L (12,003 ft) plus two east-west crosswinds 09L/27R (8,708 ft) and 09R/27L (8,500 ft).

Expansion Milestones & Predecessor Facilities

Opened in 1930 as Wayne County Airport. Transformed into Delta Air Lines' primary midwest and Asian gateway following the landmark McNamara Terminal construction in 2002.

Regional Differentiation & Cluster Role

Primary intercontinental hub for the Great Lakes industrial corridor, operating without the severe airspace delays of Chicago O'Hare (ORD, 204 NM west).

Data Nuances & Operational Quirks

The dual crosswind runway complex (09L/27R and 09R/27L) ensures zero ground shutdowns when winter polar vortex gales sweep across Lake Michigan from the west.

📚 Official Aerodrome Sourcing: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) · FAA Form 5010-1 Airport Master Record & NFDC Surveyed Aeronautical Data · AirNav DTW Master Record ↗

Verification Methodology →

🔬 Operational & Aerodrome Engineering Comparative Analysis

Longest runway ≥10,500 ft

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Elevation & National Context

Lowland Aerodrome (<2,000 ft)

DTW lies at 197 m (645 ft), #252 of 650 published airports by elevation and 56.5 percentile among 7,558 worldwide. It is 38 ft above the United States median (607 ft, 63 airports); COS is highest at 6,187 ft, 5,542 ft higher than DTW.

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Regional Density & Alternates (100 NM)

1 Qualifying Aerodrome in Vicinity

Closest of 1 paved-runway (≥5,000 ft) neighbour within 100 NM: Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE), 82.8 NM, 9,953 ft. DTW has the longest runway in this radius, 2,050 ft over CLE.

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Runway Inventory & National Standing

Primary Runway: 12,003 ft (3,659 m)

DTW runways: 04R/22L 12,003 × 200 ft concrete (con); 03R/21L 10,001 × 150 ft concrete (con); 04L/22R 10,000 × 150 ft concrete (con); 09L/27R 8,708 × 150 ft permanent paved (pem); 03L/21R 8,501 × 150 ft permanent paved (pem); 09R/27L 8,500 × 150 ft concrete (con). National standing: #18 of 63 in United States; DEN leads by 3,997 ft (16,000 ft). +20% vs the 10,000 ft baseline.

🛫 Physical Runway Inventory & Surface Engineering

Runway Designator	Length (ft / m)	Width (ft / m)	Surface Material	Lighting	Status
04R/22L	12,003 ft (3659 m / 3.659 km)	200 ft (61m)	`Concrete (CON)`	✅ Lighted	✅ Active
03R/21L	10,001 ft (3048 m / 3.048 km)	150 ft (46m)	`Concrete (CON)`	✅ Lighted	✅ Active
04L/22R	10,000 ft (3048 m / 3.048 km)	150 ft (46m)	`Concrete (CON)`	✅ Lighted	✅ Active
09L/27R	8,708 ft (2654 m / 2.654 km)	150 ft (46m)	`Permanent Paved (PEM)`	✅ Lighted	✅ Active
03L/21R	8,501 ft (2591 m / 2.591 km)	150 ft (46m)	`Permanent Paved (PEM)`	✅ Lighted	✅ Active
09R/27L	8,500 ft (2591 m / 2.591 km)	150 ft (46m)	`Concrete (CON)`	✅ Lighted	✅ Active

🧭 Comparative Aerodromes (100 NM Radius, ≥5,000 ft Paved)

Great-circle Haversine spatial proximity matching for commercial facilities with paved runway capacity within 100 NM.

Aerodrome Name	IATA	Distance	Longest Runway	Lighting
Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (Cleveland)	`CLE`	82.8 NM (153.3 km)	9,953 ft	✅ Lighted

🛡️ Source: OurAirports Open Aviation Database, snapshot 2026-09-01 · Provenance →