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I'm an occasional a plane-spotter a few times a year going to Metro airport to watch the infrequent [getting rarer] view of a Boeing 747 four-engine or perhaps hopes of seeing the newer Airbus A-380 jumbo.
Anyway, working near a window, about 2PM I heard the unusually close roar of a jet thru the clouds taking a sharp banking, low. I live not far from WSU. In Dearborn I've noted the lower fly-overs in the last year or two. But to one this was low Detroit! Anyone else notice/ hear this?
Can you still plane-watch at DTW? In the late 80s and early 90s if I was bored on a Sunday I would drive my motorcycle out and park on Goddard Rd. which I believe was over runway 21R, and watch them come over low on landing, kind of like Peter Fonda and Phil Spector in Easy Rider.
I figured since 9/11 they won't allow that anymore.
^ True, you can't get really close as before. But there's a parking lot next to a Burger King and gas station [[can't recall street) for a pretty decent view. There's also a southwestern service road along the end of the runways where you can see pretty close but you cannot park. Binoculars help.
Interestingly you get some of the best landing fly-overs driving on I-94! But of course you can't really concentrate a view and drive too. Hah!
Decades ago my mother caught the view of a Concorde! From Detroit at my parents home/ backyard not too far from the old Olympia Stadium!
New arrival [[and departure) procedures were implemented in late 2018. They slightly altered the path and altitudes of incoming traffic. However, by the time most aircraft are over the city, they have been vectored off the arrivals and their altitude and path is more dependent on the amount of traffic. The reduction in air traffic due to the pandemic has shortened the line of aircraft on final, so more flights are getting shortcuts over the city. I think that's what you're noticing.
If you're not already aware, there are web pages & smartphone apps that you can use to track most aviation traffic.
https://www.adsbexchange.com/
https://www.airportviewer.com/airport/DTW
As Mike M reported above, new technology is allowing for "more efficient" aircraft spacing & approach/departure patterns, etc. though they're still supposed to take into account noise abatement & ground safety issues.