FlightRecord

Detroit (DTW) to Sacramento (SMF): On-Time Performance

Data through May 2026

Detroit (DTW) to Sacramento (SMF) is a thinner route than most in this dataset — 260 departures over the past year, roughly 5 a week — so treat these numbers as indicative rather than definitive. Of the flights that did operate, 79% arrived on time.

On-time
79%
arrived <15 min late
Avg delay
14 min
completed flights
Cancelled
0.5%
Flights/day
0.71
last 12 months
Duration
4h 55m
scheduled
Distance
2,013 mi

Monthly on-time trend

Monthly on-time percentage for DTW to SMF flights50%75%100%July 2024: 33% on-time (17 flights)33Jul 2024August 2024: 56% on-time (18 flights)56September 2024: 83% on-time (18 flights)83October 2024: 81% on-time (21 flights)81Oct 2024November 2024: 89% on-time (18 flights)89December 2024: 50% on-time (2 flights)50April 2025: 94% on-time (17 flights)94Apr 2025May 2025: 87% on-time (31 flights)87June 2025: 60% on-time (30 flights)60July 2025: 67% on-time (30 flights)67Jul 2025August 2025: 76% on-time (29 flights)76September 2025: 97% on-time (30 flights)97October 2025: 97% on-time (30 flights)97Oct 2025November 2025: 84% on-time (25 flights)84December 2025: 100% on-time (1 flights)100March 2026: 79% on-time (24 flights)79Mar 2026April 2026: 90% on-time (30 flights)90May 2026: 68% on-time (31 flights)68

Best time to fly from DTW to SMF

Aim for departures around 8 a.m. (88% on-time); avoid 8 p.m. departures (58%).

By day of week

DayOn-timeAvg delay
Monday69%16 min
Tuesday89%5 min
Wednesdaybest95%3 min
Thursday77%31 min
Friday78%11 min
Saturday77%11 min
Sunday67%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 aircraft14%
  • Airline operations71%
  • National airspace system14%
  • Weather1%

Frequently asked questions

How often are flights from DTW to SMF delayed?
22% of DTW–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 14 minutes.
What is the best time of day to fly from DTW to SMF?
Departures around 8 a.m. have the best record (88% on-time), while departures around 8 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 DTW to SMF?
The scheduled DTW–SMF flight time averages 4h 55m over 2,013 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 22% of the time.
How often are DTW to SMF flights cancelled?
0.5% of scheduled flights on this route were cancelled between 2024-06 and 2026-05, at or below the national rate of 1.6%.
What day of the week is most reliable for DTW to SMF?
Wednesday flights have the best record at 95% on-time. Day-of-week differences on this route are meaningful — Sunday trails at 67%.

Based on 402 flights, 2024-062026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.