Nashville (BNA) to Sacramento (SMF): On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
Nashville (BNA) to Sacramento (SMF) is a thinner route than most in this dataset — 346 departures over the past year, roughly 7 a week — so treat these numbers as indicative rather than definitive. Of the flights that did operate, 72% arrived on time, noticeably below the national average of 78%.
- On-time
- 72%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 15 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 0.4%
- Flights/day
- 0.95
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 4h 44m
- 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 11 a.m. departures (55%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 73% | 13 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 79% | 11 min |
| Wednesday | 73% | 10 min |
| Thursday | 69% | 16 min |
| Friday | 70% | 16 min |
| Saturday | 76% | 14 min |
| Sunday | 64% | 22 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft53%
- Airline operations34%
- National airspace system11%
- Weather2%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from BNA to SMF delayed?
- 28% of BNA–SMF flights arrived 15 or more minutes late (the US DOT definition of a delay) between 2024-06 and 2026-05. The average arrival delay across completed flights was 15 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 11 a.m. have the worst (55%). 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 44m over 1,917 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 28% of the time.
- How often are BNA to SMF flights cancelled?
- 0.4% of scheduled flights on this route were cancelled between 2024-06 and 2026-05, at or below the national rate of 1.6%.
- What is the worst month to fly from BNA to SMF?
- July 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 57% of arrivals on time. The best was September 2024 at 87%. If your dates are flexible, that 30-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 694 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.