Houston (HOU) to Sacramento (SMF): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
Houston (HOU) to Sacramento (SMF) is a thinner route than most in this dataset — 364 departures over the past year, roughly 7 a week — so treat these numbers as indicative rather than definitive. Of the flights that did operate, 78% arrived on time.
- On-time
- 78%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 11 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 0.3%
- Flights/day
- 1.00
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 4h 6m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 1,624 mi
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from HOU to SMF
Aim for departures around 9 a.m. (93% on-time); avoid 9 p.m. departures (41%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 73% | 13 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 85% | 8 min |
| Wednesday | 82% | 8 min |
| Thursday | 75% | 11 min |
| Friday | 80% | 10 min |
| Saturday | 74% | 14 min |
| Sunday | 78% | 13 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft42%
- Airline operations39%
- National airspace system14%
- Weather5%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from HOU to SMF delayed?
- 22% of HOU–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 11 minutes.
- What is the best time of day to fly from HOU to SMF?
- Departures around 9 a.m. have the best record (93% on-time), while departures around 9 p.m. have the worst (41%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from HOU to SMF?
- The scheduled HOU–SMF flight time averages 4h 6m over 1,624 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 22% of the time.
- How often are HOU to SMF flights cancelled?
- 0.3% 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 HOU to SMF?
- April 2026 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 53% of arrivals on time. The best was February 2026 at 100%. If your dates are flexible, that 47-point gap is worth planning around.
Explore related pages
More routes from HOU
Other ways to fly to Sacramento (SMF)
Related guides
Based on 751 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.