WhatsAbove / Cities / Michigan / Detroit
Live planes and satellites over Detroit, MI
The scope below is live: every trackable aircraft and satellite above Detroit right now, centered on 42.3314, -83.0457. Click anything for callsign, route, altitude, and more.
Tonight
Visible passes for the next 12 hours — sun-lit satellite, dark sky at your point.
Nearest major airports
With Coleman A. Young Municipal Airport (DET) only 6 miles to the north, Detroit sits directly under active approach and departure paths — expect frequent low-altitude traffic between roughly 2,000 and 8,000 ft, with the direction of flow flipping when the wind changes.
About the sky over Detroit
Detroit (Michigan) has a population of about 645,705 and sits at 42.3314°N, 83.0457°W. Aircraft on this page come from the crowdsourced ADS-B network (coverage over metro areas like this is typically excellent); satellites are computed in your browser from published orbital elements — several hundred are above the local horizon at any moment.
What planes fly over Detroit?
Most identifiable traffic over Detroit is tied to Coleman A. Young Municipal Airport (DET), 6 miles to the north, plus DTW (18 mi) and MTC (22 mi). Add high-altitude cruise traffic passing over on airway routes. The live scope on this page shows each one with callsign, route, and altitude.
How many satellites are above Detroit right now?
Several hundred cataloged objects are above Detroit's horizon at any moment — mostly Starlink, plus stations, science payloads, and decades-old relics. Open the SPACE tab on this page for the live, computed count at 42.3314, -83.0457.
Can I see the ISS from Detroit?
Yes. The ISS passes over Michigan several times most weeks; visible passes happen when the station is sunlit while the sky over Detroit is dark — typically 1–3 hours after sunset or before sunrise. The Tonight panel on this page computes exact times, directions, and durations.