Austin (AUS) to Sacramento (SMF): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
The calendar drives reliability on AUS–SMF. November 2024 flights landed on schedule 90% of the time, but June 2026 dropped to 57% — a gap of 33 points. Across the full period the route averages 77% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (93% vs 67%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 77%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 15 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 0.5%
- Flights/day
- 1.1
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 3h 48m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 1,481 mi
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from AUS to SMF
Aim for departures around 10 a.m. (96% on-time); avoid 9 p.m. departures (58%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 75% | 17 min |
| Tuesday | 78% | 11 min |
| Wednesday | 77% | 14 min |
| Thursday | 76% | 17 min |
| Fridaybest | 79% | 12 min |
| Saturday | 78% | 13 min |
| Sunday | 74% | 19 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft69%
- Airline operations25%
- National airspace system4%
- Weather2%
- Security1%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from AUS to SMF delayed?
- 24% of AUS–SMF flights arrived 15 or more minutes late (the US DOT definition of a delay) between 2024-07 and 2026-07. The average arrival delay across completed flights was 15 minutes.
- What is the best time of day to fly from AUS to SMF?
- Departures around 10 a.m. have the best record (96% on-time), while departures around 9 p.m. have the worst (58%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from AUS to SMF?
- The scheduled AUS–SMF flight time averages 3h 48m over 1,481 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 24% of the time.
- How often are AUS to SMF flights cancelled?
- 0.5% of scheduled flights on this route were cancelled between 2024-07 and 2026-07, at or below the national rate of 1.6%.
- What is the worst month to fly from AUS to SMF?
- June 2026 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 57% of arrivals on time. The best was November 2024 at 90%. If your dates are flexible, that 33-point gap is worth planning around.
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Related guides
Based on 1,054 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.