Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) is the primary commercial airport serving the Detroit metropolitan area and one of the most efficient large airports in the United States. Located in Romulus, Michigan, approximately 20 miles southwest of downtown Detroit, DTW serves as a major hub for Delta Air Lines and connects the Great Lakes region to domestic destinations across the country and international routes spanning Europe, Asia, and the Americas.
Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport operates two distinct terminals. The Edward H. McNamara Terminal, opened in 2002, is an architecturally striking facility featuring a quarter-mile-long main concourse with a glass-and-steel barrel vault ceiling and an underground concourse (Concourse A) connected to the main building by an automated people mover and pedestrian tunnel. The McNamara Terminal is Delta Air Lines' primary facility at DTW and serves as the hub's main connection point.
The smaller North Terminal (also called the Coleman A. Young International Terminal) handles additional Delta operations and other carriers. It is not connected to McNamara on the airside, requiring passengers to use ground-level transportation to transfer between the two buildings.
DTW is regarded as one of the operationally superior large U.S. airports due to its efficient layout, generous concourse width, and Delta's well-managed hub banking schedule. The airport consistently ranks highly for on-time performance among airports of its size and traffic level.
Detroit's aviation history dates to the early 1920s when Henry Ford operated a Ford Airport in nearby Dearborn for his company's air transport operations. Detroit's public airport evolved at its current Romulus site through successive expansions from the 1940s onward. The airport was long known for its original two-terminal configuration before the transformative McNamara Terminal project.
Northwest Airlines, which was headquartered in Minnesota with major operations in Detroit, built DTW into a major hub in the 1980s and 1990s. Northwest's 2008 merger with Delta Air Lines transferred the DTW hub to Delta, which has continued to operate it as one of its most important domestic connecting hubs. The McNamara Terminal, named after Wayne County Executive Edward H. McNamara, opened in 2002 and immediately became one of the most celebrated airport buildings of its era.
The McNamara Terminal is the larger and primary facility at DTW. Its main level (Concourse B/C) stretches approximately a quarter mile from end to end and features a dramatic glass ceiling that allows natural light throughout the concourse. An underground Concourse A extends from the main building via a moving-walkway pedestrian tunnel and is served by an automated people mover called the MiniTrain. McNamara handles the vast majority of Delta's hub operations and most international flights.
The North Terminal is a separate, smaller facility handling additional Delta flights and select other carriers. Passengers connecting between the McNamara Terminal and North Terminal must travel via ground-level bus shuttle, as the terminals are not connected airside.
Delta Air Lines accounts for the substantial majority of operations at DTW, operating it as one of its major domestic hubs. Delta provides nonstop service from DTW to cities across the continental United States, Alaska, Hawaii, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, Europe, Asia, and Latin America. Transatlantic routes from DTW include service to Amsterdam, London, Paris, Frankfurt, and other European cities.
Other carriers at DTW include American Airlines, United Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Spirit Airlines, and international carriers. DTW provides nonstop service to more than 130 destinations.
The McNamara Terminal is known for its wide, generous concourses and bright natural lighting from the barrel vault ceiling — creating an unusually pleasant environment for a large hub airport. Multiple dining concepts are distributed throughout the concourse, with local Detroit-area brands represented alongside national chains. Delta Sky Club lounges operate in both the McNamara Terminal and North Terminal.
Free Wi-Fi is available throughout DTW. The terminal art program features installations throughout the McNamara concourse. The automated MiniTrain people mover within the McNamara Terminal provides efficient access to the underground Concourse A. Nursing rooms, interfaith chapels, and pet relief areas are available across both terminals.
DTW does not have a direct rail connection to downtown Detroit. Ground transportation options include rideshare services, taxis, and rental cars, all available from the ground level of each terminal. The drive to downtown Detroit is approximately 25–35 minutes under normal traffic conditions.
The Rental Car Center is located on the airport campus and is accessible via a free shuttle bus. The airport is accessible from I-94, I-275, and the Tri-County Expressway (M-153). SMART bus service connects DTW to parts of the Detroit metro area. A future connection to the Detroit area transit network has been discussed periodically but has not yet been built.
DTW provides parking in multiple facilities adjacent to both terminals, including short-term, long-term, and economy surface lots. The McNamara Terminal garage and the North Terminal parking structure offer covered parking at higher rates. Economy lots at greater distances provide shuttle service at lower rates. Advance reservations are recommended during peak travel periods, particularly in summer and around major Detroit events.
The McNamara Terminal's Concourse A underground connection is long — the walk with moving walkways takes several minutes, and the MiniTrain provides a faster alternative. Check your gate location carefully: gates numbered in the 200s are in the underground Concourse A, reached via the tunnel or MiniTrain, while gates in the 400s and 500s are in the main McNamara concourse building. Allow extra time if your gate is at the far end of either building.
Connections between the McNamara Terminal and North Terminal require exiting security and taking a shuttle bus — avoid booking these connections with less than 90 minutes between flights. DTW is particularly efficient for same-terminal Delta connections and is one of the more reliable Midwest hubs for on-time performance.
Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport is a critical piece of infrastructure for an automotive industry capital that has undergone significant economic transformation. DTW supports hundreds of thousands of jobs in the Detroit metropolitan area and generates billions in annual economic activity. Delta Air Lines' hub at DTW provides the Detroit region with international air access that supports its automotive engineering, manufacturing, and technology sectors, as well as cross-border business traffic with Canada.
The airport is managed by Wayne County and serves as a regional economic asset for southeastern Michigan, connecting the region's residents and businesses to national and global markets.
DTW is pursuing capital projects to modernize the North Terminal and improve ground transportation infrastructure. Wayne County and Delta Air Lines have discussed potential improvements to terminal connectivity and international arrivals capacity. The long-standing absence of a rail connection to downtown Detroit remains a gap in the regional transportation network, with periodic planning discussions but no funded project yet underway.
DTW is a primary commercial airport and major hub in the Midwest. It functions as a high-efficiency connecting airport for domestic and transatlantic travel, anchored by Delta Air Lines' hub operations.
Airports within approximately 60 miles of Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport that may provide additional scheduled commercial, regional access.
Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport is one of America's most architecturally impressive large hub airports — the McNamara Terminal's soaring glass concourse is a genuine standout in U.S. aviation infrastructure. Efficient, well-organized, and dominated by Delta Air Lines' extensive hub operation, DTW provides the Detroit region with broad connectivity and an airport experience that regularly exceeds expectations relative to the city's reputation.
DTW has the McNamara Terminal (the main facility, with Concourses A, B, and C) and the North Terminal. The McNamara Terminal handles the majority of Delta Air Lines' hub operations. The terminals are not connected airside.
The MiniTrain is an automated people mover that connects the main McNamara Terminal building to the underground Concourse A. It runs within the secure zone and provides a faster alternative to the long pedestrian tunnel.
No direct rail connection currently exists between DTW and downtown Detroit. Ground transportation options are rideshare, taxis, and rental cars. The drive to downtown Detroit takes approximately 25–35 minutes.
Delta Air Lines is the dominant carrier at DTW and operates it as one of its major domestic and international hubs, with extensive service from the McNamara Terminal.
For the most current flight schedules, parking availability, terminal maps, and ground transportation updates, visit the official Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport website.
Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport Official Site