Connecting at Detroit: McNamara, Evans and the shuttle between them

Last checked 24 September 2026

Detroit is two airports under one name. The McNamara Terminal is Delta's home, shared with partners such as Air France, Aeroméxico and WestJet. The Evans Terminal has everyone else. If both your flights are in the same terminal, you stay behind security. If you're switching between McNamara and Evans, you're taking a shuttle and going through security again.

At a glance

• Delta to Delta: both flights are in McNamara, so you stay behind security.
• McNamara ↔ Evans: leave security, take the free terminal shuttle (about every 10 minutes) and go through TSA again.
• Long walks in Concourse A: the ExpressTram runs the length of the concourse.
• The airport's rule of thumb: 40 minutes can be enough for a domestic connection on the same airline. Allow more if you're changing airlines or flying internationally.

Who flies from where

• McNamara Terminal: Delta, Air France, Aeroméxico and WestJet, plus Vacation Express charters.
• Evans Terminal: Air Canada, Alaska, American, Avelo, Frontier, JetBlue, Lufthansa, Royal Jordanian, Southwest, Sun Country, Turkish Airlines, United and Volaris, plus Apple Vacations charters.

Your boarding pass may show McNamara as EM and Evans as WE.

Connections inside McNamara

If you're connecting Delta to Delta, both flights are in McNamara and you stay behind security. Concourse A is long. To help you reach gates at the far end, the ExpressTram runs along the whole concourse. It only serves Concourse A, though. It doesn't go to Concourses B and C or to the Evans Terminal.

Switching between McNamara and Evans

To change terminals, follow the signs to ground transportation and wait for the Terminal to Terminal shuttle. It leaves about every 10 minutes from the Ground Transportation Centers and from the Westin Hotel entrance at McNamara. The airport is clear on what happens next: "If you need to switch terminals, you must clear security screening before entering."

That makes a terminal change at DTW three separate steps: the wait for the shuttle, the ride, and a second security queue. GateCast adds all three to the time budget. That's why a Delta-to-United connection in Detroit grades lower than a Delta-to-Delta one with the same time on the ticket.

How much time to allow

The airport's own guidance is that 40 minutes should be enough for a domestic connection when you're not changing airlines. For an international connection, or when you're changing airlines, it suggests allowing more. GateCast's grade shows how much margin a specific connection really has, including the terminal change if there is one.

Tips

• Check the terminal code on your boarding pass: EM is McNamara, WE is Evans.
• If your gate is at the far end of Concourse A, use the ExpressTram.
• If you're switching terminals, head straight for ground transportation. The shuttle comes about every 10 minutes, but security at the other end is the part you can't predict.

Checked 24 September 2026. Terminals and airlines change, so confirm with your airline before you travel.