The easiest way to make DTW travel more enjoyable is to cut the rushing. Know your terminal, arrive with a real buffer, use TSA PreCheck or CLEAR if you fly often, and plan how you get to the curb. A pre-booked DTW airport car service takes parking and traffic off your list, so the airport part feels calm.
Key Takeaways
- Terminal first: Delta flies from McNamara, most other airlines fly from Evans, and switching between them means clearing security again.
- Buffer time: The airport authority suggests 90 minutes to 2 hours before domestic flights and 3 hours before international ones.
- Security programs: About 99% of TSA PreCheck travelers wait under 10 minutes, and CLEAR lanes run at both McNamara checkpoints.
- ExpressTram: Concourse A is about a mile long, so ride the tram instead of walking gate to gate.
- Free extras: Wi-Fi is free with no login, and a same-day Destination Pass lets non-flyers join you past security.
Know Which DTW Terminal You Are Flying From
Detroit Metro is busy. It handled about 33.4 million passengers in 2025, based on the airport’s DTW aviation statistics report. Most of that traffic runs through one building, so knowing yours matters.
The two terminals sit on opposite sides of the airfield. They are not connected past security. If a friend drops you at the wrong one, you’ll ride a shuttle and start over. Check your airline before you leave home, and tell your driver the terminal name, not just “DTW.”
| Detail | McNamara Terminal | Evans Terminal |
|---|---|---|
| Main airlines | Delta, Aeromexico, Air France, WestJet | American, United, Southwest, Spirit, Frontier, JetBlue, Alaska, Air Canada, Lufthansa and others |
| Departing passengers in 2025 | About 12.1 million | About 4.5 million |
| Security checkpoints | Ticketing lobby (Level 3), parking garage bridge (Level 2), Westin hotel | Lobby ticketing area |
| CLEAR lanes | Yes, at both McNamara checkpoints | Not listed by the airport |
| Getting to gates | ExpressTram with 3 stations on Concourse A | Walkable concourse |
| Freedom Center military lounge | Near Gate A43 | Near Gate D17 |
Roughly 73% of departing travelers used McNamara last year. That’s why Delta flyers feel the crowds most at peak times, and why a little extra buffer pays off there.
How Early Should You Get to DTW?
Plan to arrive 90 minutes to 2 hours before a domestic flight and 3 hours before an international flight, which is the Wayne County Airport Authority’s guidance. Our advice is to add 20 to 30 minutes on holiday weeks and early mornings, when security lines and curb traffic build fastest.
Here’s a simple day-of plan that keeps the trip relaxed:
- Check in on your airline’s app the night before and save your mobile boarding pass.
- Confirm your terminal and note the gate letter so you know if you’ll need the tram.
- Look at live security wait times on the airport website before you leave home.
- Pack liquids in one clear bag at the top of your carry-on so screening goes quickly.
- Leave home with your buffer built in, then eat and relax at the gate, not in the car.
Faster, Calmer Security at Detroit Metro
Security is where most people lose their good mood. The fix is picking the right lane before you get there.
According to TSA PreCheck program details, about 99% of members wait less than 10 minutes. You keep your shoes, belt, light jacket and laptop in place. Kids 17 and under can join you when PreCheck shows on their boarding pass. Initial enrollment runs about $78 to $85, depending on the provider.
The airport’s DTW security checkpoint page lists four screening spots. McNamara has two, plus one inside the Westin hotel. CLEAR lanes run at both McNamara checkpoints. There’s also a PreCheck enrollment office in McNamara’s domestic baggage claim, handy if you want to sign up after a trip.
Our advice: if the main McNamara lobby line looks long, remember there’s a second checkpoint on Level 2, on the bridge from the parking garage. Having a backup option keeps you calm.
Take the Stress Out of Getting to the Curb
For a lot of Metro Detroit travelers, the hard part happens before the terminal. It’s the I-94 traffic, circling the garages, and hauling bags from the lot.
DTW runs the McNamara Parking Garage, the Big Blue Deck and the Green Lot, with free shuttles from on-airport lots to the Ground Transportation Center. That works, but it adds steps. You find a space, wait for a shuttle, then walk to security. When you come home tired, you do it all in reverse.
A chauffeur changes that part of the day. Your driver tracks the flight, meets you at the right terminal, and handles the bags. If you’re coming from Oakland County, our Troy to DTW rides page explains how that route works. To set up your next pickup, call (586) 358-0999 and tell us your terminal and flight time.
For more on timing and pickup points, see our DTW airport transfers guide.
Getting Around McNamara Without the Sprint
McNamara’s Concourse A stretches about a mile. The airport’s McNamara ExpressTram guide explains its three stations:
- South Station: gates A1 to A28.
- Terminal Station: gates A29 to A55, plus check-in, baggage claim, ground transportation and the tunnel to Concourses B and C.
- North Station: gates A56 to A78.
Signs and speakers above the tram doors call out each stop, and moving walkways run through the terminals. If your gate is in B or C, walk the lit tunnel under the airfield. It’s one of the more pleasant walks in any U.S. airport.
Switching to Evans is different. You take a shuttle from ground transportation and clear security again, so leave extra time for any connection that changes terminals.
Small Things That Make the Wait Enjoyable
Once you’re through security with time to spare, DTW has plenty to fill it. Nearly 100 restaurants and shops sit across both terminals, with Metro Detroit favorites next to national chains. The airport’s dining tool lets you filter by terminal, gate and whether a spot is before or after security.
DTW airport tip
Use this checklist to make the gate time feel like part of the trip:
- Free Wi-Fi: pick “Detroit Airport Wi-Fi,” no login needed.
- Power: many gate areas have outlets, but not all, so carry a charged power bank.
- Art break: framed Detroit Institute of Arts reproductions hang in Evans Terminal and the Ground Transportation Center.
- Quiet spaces: reflection rooms, nursing rooms and a multi-sensory room are available.
- Military and veterans: the free Freedom Center lounge offers snacks, drinks and seating in both terminals.
- Family send-off: the DTW Destination Pass lets non-flyers go past security from 4 a.m. to 9 p.m., applied for same day at the kiosks.
- Rewards: DTW Rewards lets you earn gift cards when you eat and shop at the airport.
If you have airline lounge access, check your airline’s app for the lounge closest to your gate before you settle in.
DTW Airport Questions People Ask
How long is it taking to get through TSA at DTW?
Wait times change hour to hour, so check the live security wait display on the airport website before you leave. Standard lanes run longest on holiday weeks and early mornings. TSA reports about 99% of PreCheck travelers wait under 10 minutes, and CLEAR lanes are open at both McNamara checkpoints.
Is a 40 minute layover in DTW enough?
It can be if you stay in McNamara, your first flight lands on time, and you use the ExpressTram. It’s too tight if you must switch to Evans, because that means a shuttle ride plus a second security screening. Book longer connections when you can, especially in winter weather.
Is an hour layover in DTW enough?
For most same-terminal connections at McNamara, an hour is workable. Check your arrival and departure gates as soon as you land, then ride the tram or walk the tunnel to Concourses B and C. If the connection changes terminals, an hour leaves little room for delays or a slow security line.
What to do in Detroit airport for 4 hours?
Four hours gives you time for a sit-down meal, a walk through the light tunnel between concourses, and some work on the free Wi-Fi. Military travelers can relax in the Freedom Center. Check the airport’s dining tool to find spots near your gate, then settle in with a charged phone.
Start Your Next DTW Trip Without the Rush
A good DTW trip starts before you reach the airport. When the ride is handled, you arrive at the right terminal with time to spare, and the rest of these tips get easier to use. Legend OZ Transportation drives 24/7 across Metro Detroit, Ann Arbor, Troy, Novi, Birmingham and Windsor.
Call Legend OZ Transportation at (586) 358-0999 and book your next DTW pickup with your terminal and flight number ready. You can also send us your trip online.