Nashville (BNA) to Sacramento (SMF): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
Nashville (BNA) to Sacramento (SMF) is a thinner route than most in this dataset — 345 departures over the past year, roughly 7 a week — so treat these numbers as indicative rather than definitive. Of the flights that did operate, 70% arrived on time, noticeably below the national average of 78%.
- On-time
- 70%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 16 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 0.4%
- Flights/day
- 0.95
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 4h 43m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 1,917 mi
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from BNA to SMF
Aim for departures around 9 a.m. (100% on-time); avoid 2 p.m. departures (53%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 70% | 14 min |
| Tuesday | 75% | 13 min |
| Wednesday | 70% | 12 min |
| Thursday | 69% | 16 min |
| Friday | 68% | 18 min |
| Saturdaybest | 75% | 14 min |
| Sunday | 62% | 21 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft49%
- Airline operations37%
- National airspace system10%
- Weather3%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from BNA to SMF delayed?
- 30% of BNA–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 16 minutes.
- What is the best time of day to fly from BNA to SMF?
- Departures around 9 a.m. have the best record (100% on-time), while departures around 2 p.m. have the worst (53%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from BNA to SMF?
- The scheduled BNA–SMF flight time averages 4h 43m over 1,917 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 30% of the time.
- How often are BNA to SMF flights cancelled?
- 0.4% 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 BNA to SMF?
- June 2026 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 44% of arrivals on time. The best was September 2024 at 87%. If your dates are flexible, that 43-point gap is worth planning around.
Explore related pages
More routes from BNA
Other ways to fly to Sacramento (SMF)
Related guides
Based on 731 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.