Sacramento International Airport (SMF): Delays & On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
Sacramento International Airport (SMF) in Sacramento, CA is a middle-of-the-pack performer: 82% of departures are on time, within a few points of the national 78%. It hosts 11 airlines flying 154 departures a day to 46 destinations, with cancellations at 0.7%.
- Departures on-time
- 82%
- left <15 min late
- Avg dep delay
- 12 min
- Arrivals on-time
- 80%
- Cancelled
- 0.7%
- Destinations
- 46
- nonstop
- Airlines
- 11
Plan your departure from SMF
The choices most likely to improve your odds, based on this airport’s historical record.
- Best departure time
- Around 5 a.m.
- 95% on-time
- Best day to fly
- Tuesday
- 86% on-time
- Cancellation risk
- 0.7%
- below the US average
Monthly on-time trend
Best time of day to depart from SMF
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 82% | 12 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 86% | 8 min |
| Wednesday | 86% | 9 min |
| Thursday | 81% | 13 min |
| Friday | 79% | 14 min |
| Saturday | 85% | 10 min |
| Sunday | 81% | 13 min |
Busiest routes from SMF
Where flights into SMF come from
| Route | Flights/12mo | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|---|
| LAX (Los Angeles) → SMF | 5,640 | 86% | 10 min |
| SAN (San Diego) → SMF | 5,174 | 76% | 14 min |
| SEA (Seattle) → SMF | 4,381 | 80% | 11 min |
| LAS (Las Vegas) → SMF | 4,123 | 80% | 12 min |
| DEN (Denver) → SMF | 3,850 | 75% | 15 min |
| PHX (Phoenix) → SMF | 3,622 | 81% | 11 min |
| BUR (Burbank) → SMF | 2,609 | 87% | 8 min |
| SNA (Santa Ana) → SMF | 2,311 | 85% | 8 min |
What causes delays at SMF
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT, weighted across routes departing SMF.
- Late-arriving aircraft45%
- Airline operations35%
- National airspace system17%
- Weather3%
Alternative airports near Sacramento
Other airports within 120 miles, compared on departure reliability.
| Airport | Distance | On-time departures | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|---|
| SCK — Stockton Metropolitan Airport | 59 mi | 66% | 36 min |
| STS — Charles M. Schulz Sonoma County Airport | 67 mi | 81% | 14 min |
| OAK — Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport | 76 mi | 79% | 12 min |
| SFO — San Francisco International Airport | 86 mi | 78% | 16 min |
| SJC — Mineta San Jose International Airport | 94 mi | 83% | 11 min |
Compare the airport-level record first, then check the exact route you plan to book.
Airline performance at SMF
| Airline | On-time departures | Avg delay | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delta Air Lines | 90% | 9 min | 7,084 |
| Envoy Air | 90% | 7 min | 335 |
| United Airlines | 88% | 10 min | 8,954 |
| Hawaiian Airlines | 87% | 13 min | 1,648 |
| SkyWest Airlines | 87% | 11 min | 19,429 |
| Alaska Airlines | 85% | 9 min | 4,064 |
| Frontier Airlines | 82% | 14 min | 1,643 |
| Spirit Airlines | 81% | 14 min | 1,649 |
| American Airlines | 80% | 21 min | 7,607 |
| Southwest Airlines | 78% | 12 min | 66,383 |
| JetBlue Airways | 62% | 42 min | 567 |
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights delayed at SMF?
- 18% of departures from Sacramento International Airport left 15+ minutes late between 2024-07 and 2026-07, with an average departure delay of 12 minutes. The national on-time average over the same period was 78%.
- What is the best time of day to depart from SMF?
- Flights scheduled around 5 a.m. depart on time 95% of the time at SMF, versus 67% around 9 p.m.. Booking before noon is the usual rule of thumb here.
- What is the worst month for delays at SMF?
- In this dataset, June 2026 was the weakest month at SMF, with 74% of departures on time.
- How often are flights cancelled at SMF?
- 0.7% of scheduled departures from SMF were cancelled in this period, compared with a national rate of 1.6%.
Popular route pages from this airport
Related guides
Based on 119,363 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.