DTW → Tucson Trip

Apr 2–6, 2026 · Flight options to visit the brother

Brother's Schedule (SFO ↔ TUS)

Arrives TUS: Thu Apr 2, 10:45am
UA 5433 · SFO → TUS
Departs TUS: Sun Apr 5, 8:50am
UA 4683 · TUS → SFO

Constraints

From: Detroit (DTW)
To: Tucson (TUS) or Phoenix (PHX)
Depart: Thu Apr 2 eve / Fri Apr 3 / Sat Apr 4
Return: Sun Apr 5 / Mon Apr 6
PHX note: ~1.5 hr drive to Tucson, but cheaper nonstops
Points: Chase UR + Amex MR available
✈ Flight Options
Option 1
PHX — Friday to Sunday Night
Fri Apr 3 → Sun Apr 5 · 2.5 days together
Outbound · Fri Apr 3
DTW → PHX
Frontier · 11:54am → 5:47pm
1 stop (DEN) · 8h 53m
$224
Return · Sun Apr 5
PHX → DTW
Frontier · 9:24pm → 10:58am+1
1 stop (DEN) · 10h 34m
$385
Flights + rental car (~$130) ~$739
Fri evening + all Sat + Sun daytime Back Mon 11am for work Rental car PHX ↔ Tucson needed Long connection outbound
Why this one: Best balance of time and money. You arrive PHX around 6pm Friday, drive to Tucson by 7:30pm — that gives you Friday night, all day Saturday, and most of Sunday with your brother (he doesn't fly out until 8:50am Sun, so you can do breakfast together). You catch the 9:24pm red-eye back from PHX and land at DTW by 11am Monday, making it back for work. The Frontier fares are real — just watch for the carry-on bag fee (~$40-70 extra if you need one).
Option 2
PHX — Saturday Nonstop Dash
Sat Apr 4 → Sun Apr 5 · 1.5 days together
Outbound · Sat Apr 4
DTW → PHX
Frontier · 5:02pm → 6:30pm
Nonstop · 4h 28m
$130
Return · Sun Apr 5
PHX → DTW
Frontier · 9:24pm → 10:58am+1
1 stop (DEN) · 10h 34m
$385
Flights + rental car (~$80) ~$595
$130 nonstop outbound! Lowest total cost Back Mon 11am for work Only Sat night + Sun daytime
Why this one: The absolute cheapest option. That $130 Frontier nonstop on Saturday is the best fare across every route and date we found. You land at PHX 6:30pm, drive to Tucson by ~8pm Saturday, get all of Sunday morning with your brother before he flies out at 8:50am, then drive back to PHX for the evening return. The tradeoff is clear — you only get about 14 hours together. If budget is king, this is it. You could also book the $130 outbound through the Chase portal for only ~8,700 UR points.
Option 3
PHX — Friday to Monday
Fri Apr 3 → Mon Apr 6 · 2.5 days + buffer
Outbound · Fri Apr 3
DTW → PHX
Frontier · 6:00am → 7:37am
Nonstop · 4h 37m
$294
Return · Mon Apr 6
PHX → DTW
Frontier/Southwest · morning flight
Est. nonstop ~4h or 1-stop ~6h
~$80–150
Flights + rental car (~$160) ~$535–605
Arrive 7:37am Fri — full 2.5 days Monday return much cheaper Nonstop both ways possible Miss Mon morning at work Very early 6am departure Fri
Why this one: Maximum overlap with your brother's schedule at a reasonable price. The Monday return avoids the brutal Sunday premium (Sun returns are $385+, Mon could be $80–150). You'd arrive PHX at 7:37am Friday — in Tucson by 9am, with the whole day ahead. You get Fri + Sat + Sun morning together. After he flies out Sunday, you have a relaxed day in Tucson/Phoenix area, then fly home Monday. The early Friday departure is the catch — you'd need to be at DTW by ~4:30am. The upside is if you can take Monday morning off, this could actually be cheaper than Option 1 with way more time.
Option 4
Direct to TUS — No Car Needed
Fri Apr 3 → Sun Apr 5 · 2 days together
Outbound · Fri Apr 3
DTW → TUS
Southwest · 6:40pm → 10:10pm
1 stop (DEN) · 6h 30m
$351
Return · Sun Apr 5
TUS → DTW
Southwest/United · afternoon/evening
1 stop · ~6h
~$400–500
Flights only — no rental car ~$750–850
Brother picks you up at TUS No rental car / no driving 2 free checked bags (Southwest) Most expensive option All flights have connections
Why this one: The convenience play. No rental car, no 1.5-hour drives, your brother just picks you up at TUS. Southwest gives you 2 free checked bags and easy changes/cancellations. You arrive Fri 10:10pm, have all day Saturday, and Sunday morning before he leaves. The problem is cost — DTW→TUS flights are $150–250 more than PHX because there are no nonstops and fewer carriers competing on the route. Only makes sense if the car savings and hassle-free factor outweigh the extra $200+.
Option 5
AA Nonstop via Avios — Points Play
Sat Apr 4 → Sun Apr 5 or Mon Apr 6
Outbound · Sat Apr 4
DTW → PHX
American Airlines · 7:36am or 6:08pm
Nonstop · 4h 29–39m
10,000 Avios + $5.60
Return · Sun or Mon
PHX → DTW
American Airlines · nonstop options
Nonstop · ~3h 47–55m
10,000 Avios + $5.60
20,000 Avios + ~$11 taxes + rental car (~$80–160) 20K pts + ~$91–171
AA nonstops both ways Only ~$11 cash out of pocket Transfer from Chase or Amex 1:1 Need AA saver award space Rental car still needed
Why this one: If you want nonstop comfort with almost zero cash cost, book AA nonstops using British Airways Avios. DTW–PHX is ~1,670 miles — that falls in the 1,151–2,000 mile Avios band at 10,000 Avios one-way + $5.60 taxes. Both Chase UR and Amex MR transfer 1:1 to BA Avios. AA shows a miles deal of 12,000 AAdvantage miles round trip for DTW→PHX in mid-April, which strongly suggests saver award space exists on these dates. The catch: you need to check ba.com for actual availability — saver space can be limited. If available, this is the best value per point by far. AA runs multiple daily nonstops DTW↔PHX (7:36am, 6:08pm outbound; 10:03am, 4:24pm return).
Option 6
AA Nonstops — Emily’s Vacation (Cash)
Tue Mar 31 → Sat Apr 4 · 2.5 days with brother + 2 bonus days
Outbound · Tue Mar 31
DTW → PHX
American · 6:08pm → 7:37pm
Nonstop · 4h 29m
$549 RT
Return · Sat Apr 4
PHX → DTW
American · 4:24pm → 11:11pm
Nonstop · 3h 47m
incl. in RT
Flights $549 + rental car (~$250 for 5 days) ~$799
AA nonstops both ways 2 bonus days to explore AZ 2.5 days overlap with brother Home Sat night — full Sunday to recover Need Tue afternoon + Wed–Fri off work Leave Tucson Sat ~2pm (before brother’s Sun departure)
Why this one: Emily’s pick turns the trip into a mini vacation. You land PHX at 7:37pm Tuesday, drive to Tucson, and get two full days (Wed + Thu morning) to explore — Saguaro National Park, downtown Tucson, whatever you want — before your brother even arrives Thursday at 10:45am. Then you overlap Thu afternoon, all day Friday, and Saturday morning together. You fly out Sat at 4:24pm, so you’d leave Tucson by ~2pm. Home by 11:11pm Saturday with all of Sunday to recover. The AA nonstop RT is currently $549 (scraped Feb 22) — way less than the $879 Basic Economy fare Emily initially saw. No red-eyes, no 6am departures, and a real vacation feel.
Option 7
Emily’s Vacation + Avios — Best of Both
Tue Mar 31 → Sat Apr 4 · Same trip, points price
Outbound · Tue Mar 31
DTW → PHX
American · 6:08pm → 7:37pm
Nonstop · 4h 29m
10,000 Avios + $5.60
Return · Sat Apr 4
PHX → DTW
American · 4:24pm → 11:11pm
Nonstop · 3h 47m
10,000 Avios + $5.60
20K Avios + $11 taxes + rental car (~$250) 20K pts + ~$261 cash
Same AA nonstops as Emily’s pick Only $261 cash out of pocket ~2.7¢/pt value vs $549 cash fare Transfer from Chase UR or Amex MR 1:1 Need AA saver award space on ba.com Need Tue afternoon + Wed–Fri off work
Why this one: Same exact trip as Emily’s pick — AA nonstops, Tue evening to Sat afternoon, 2 bonus days + 2.5 days with your brother — but booked with 20,000 BA Avios instead of $549 cash. That’s ~2.7¢ per point, excellent value. Transfer 20K from Chase UR or Amex MR → BA Avios (1:1, usually instant). Your only cash costs are $11 in taxes + the rental car. Check ba.com for saver space on AA flights for Mar 31 outbound and Apr 4 return. If saver space is available, this is the best option on the entire page — Emily’s preferred schedule at a fraction of the cash cost.
Option 8
Frontier Nonstop — Emily’s Dates, Budget Price
Tue Mar 31 → Sat Apr 4 · Cheapest nonstop on these dates
Outbound · Tue Mar 31
DTW → PHX
Frontier · 6:00am → 7:39am
Nonstop · 4h 39m
$469 RT
Return · Sat Apr 4
PHX → DTW
Frontier · afternoon/evening
Nonstop or 1-stop
incl. in RT
Flights $469 + bags (~$70) + rental car (~$250) ~$789
Cheapest nonstop on Emily’s dates Or ~31,300 UR via Chase portal (1.5¢/pt) Same schedule — 2 bonus days + brother time 6am departure Tue morning Bag fees add ~$40–70 for carry-on Need Tue–Fri off work
Why this one: Same dates as Emily’s pick but on Frontier at $469 RT nonstop — $80 less than the AA fare. The catch: 6am Tuesday departure (you’d be at DTW by 4:30am) and Frontier charges for carry-on bags (~$40–70 extra). After bags, the real savings vs AA is only ~$10–40, so this only makes sense if you’re okay with the early departure. You could also book through the Chase portal for ~31,300 UR points (at 1.5¢/pt with Sapphire Reserve) if you prefer to save Avios for another trip.
🃏 Points Breakdown

★ Using Chase UR & Amex MR

BA Avios (Best for AA Nonstops)

Transfer Chase UR or Amex MR → BA Avios at 1:1. Book AA nonstop DTW↔PHX.

10,000 Avios/way

+ $5.60 taxes each way. ~2.0¢/pt value on a $315 AA fare.

Chase Portal (Best for Frontier)

Book that $130 Frontier nonstop through Chase Sapphire Reserve at 1.5¢/pt.

8,667 UR points

For the $130 Frontier fare. Good value if you don't want to deal with Avios transfers.

Chase → Southwest RR

Transfer to Southwest Rapid Rewards. The $231 DTW→PHX nonstop = ~16,500 pts at ~1.4¢/pt.

~16,500 RR pts/way

Good for flexibility — Southwest allows free changes/cancellations.

Amex → Delta SkyMiles

Delta runs nonstops DTW↔PHX starting at $245. Award availability varies.

~10,000–18,000 mi/way

Delta pricing is dynamic. Check delta.com for award prices on your dates.

Which option do you like?

Pick your favorite and we'll book it.

Options 1–5 scraped Feb 22. Options 6–8 scraped from Google Flights on Feb 22, 2026 via Bright Data. Fares may change.
All times local. Frontier bag fees not included (~$40–70 for carry-on).
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