DTW · Layover Guide
Detroit
Stop in Detroit.
Best layover: 3–24h
LayoverScore™
Base city score. Your route score varies by savings and timing.
Exit realism
Comfortable window
Enough room in Detroit for a real stop. Keep the buffer at the end anyway.
Landside playbook
If time slips
- Drop the last stop. Go straight to the train, taxi rank, or ride pickup you already chose.
- Add 15 minutes to map ETAs for the return leg at rush hour.
- One ticket for the whole trip protects you when the inbound is late. Separate tickets do not.
Worth knowing
- Do not stack three stops. One solid block in the city beats a rushed loop.
- Do not treat one map time as gospel for immigration lines. Pad on your first pass through this hub.
Planning a stop in Detroit?
We'll alert you when fares drop through DTW.
Places to stay
Search hotelsLayoverScore™ breakdown
Score 68 · Discover 50 · Ease 22
Why Detroit scores 68
Getting there
Uber/Lyft $45 · SMART Bus 125 $2
min to center
bus- 01SMART bus 125 to downtown (60 min, $2)
- 02Taxi/Uber to downtown (25-35 min, $40-55)
- 03Rental car (most practical for exploring)
- 01Detroit Institute of Arts with Diego Rivera's iconic Industry Murals
- 02Motown Museum at Hitsville U.S.A. where legends recorded
- 03Eastern Market - historic 6-block open-air market (Saturdays best)
- 04The Belt alley art installation and murals in downtown
- 05Ford Piquette Avenue Plant - birthplace of the Model T
Experiences in Detroit
Timed tours and tickets for Detroit are listed on our partner site.
Open listingsOpens in a new tab.
- Detroit Institute of Arts~90 min19 min walk
- Motown Museum~90 min28 min walk
- Eastern Market~60 min23 min walk
- Slows Bar-B-Q~60 min25 min walk
- Detroit Riverwalk~75 min15 min walk
- The Belt~75 min13 min walk
Need a room for your layover? Browse hotels near the airport.
Where to stay →Drop your luggage. Don't drag it around the city.
Westin Detroit Metropolitan Airport
Connected to McNamara Terminal
$89/day
5 min walk
Bounce Luggage Storage
Downtown Detroit partner locations
$6/bag
0 min walk
From the terminal to the good part.
Uber/Lyft
to downtown
Most convenient option; surge pricing during events
30 min
$45.00
SMART Bus 125
to downtown
Limited schedule; runs to Rosa Parks Transit Center
60 min
$2.00
Rental Car
Best for exploring beyond downtown; rental center on-site
25 min
$50.00
No city pass available for this city.
Getting there
Get an Uber from the airportAt the airport
- 01McNamara Terminal's Light Tunnel - 800ft LED art installation
- 02Extensive dining in McNamara including PF Chang's and Chili's
- 03Delta Sky Club with outdoor deck
- 04Westin DTW connected to McNamara Terminal
Read more about Detroit
More North America layovers
Ready to book?
Search layovers through Detroit
