Honolulu (HNL) to Sacramento (SMF): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
The calendar drives reliability on HNL–SMF. October 2024 flights landed on schedule 94% of the time, but March 2026 dropped to 61% — a gap of 32 points. Across the full period the route averages 81% on-time against a national 78%.
- On-time
- 81%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 13 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 0.2%
- Flights/day
- 2.0
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 5h 14m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 2,462 mi
Best airline from HNL to SMF
3 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southwest Airlinesmost reliable | 87% | 7 min | 0.1% | 761 |
| Hawaiian Airlines | 78% | 14 min | 0.2% | 549 |
| Alaska Airlines | 67% | 32 min | 0.5% | 212 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from HNL to SMF
Aim for departures around 10 a.m. (93% on-time); avoid 12 p.m. departures (76%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 77% | 16 min |
| Tuesday | 85% | 12 min |
| Wednesday | 83% | 9 min |
| Thursday | 77% | 14 min |
| Friday | 80% | 13 min |
| Saturday | 79% | 13 min |
| Sundaybest | 86% | 14 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft21%
- Airline operations70%
- National airspace system7%
- Weather1%
- Security1%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from HNL to SMF delayed?
- 19% of HNL–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 13 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from HNL to SMF?
- Southwest Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 87%, based on 761 flights. 3 airlines flew HNL–SMF frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from HNL to SMF?
- Departures around 10 a.m. have the best record (93% on-time), while departures around 12 p.m. have the worst (76%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from HNL to SMF?
- The scheduled HNL–SMF flight time averages 5h 14m over 2,462 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 19% of the time.
- How often are HNL to SMF flights cancelled?
- 0.2% 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 HNL to SMF?
- March 2026 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 61% of arrivals on time. The best was October 2024 at 94%. If your dates are flexible, that 32-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 1,522 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.