Los Angeles (LAX) to Sacramento (SMF): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
On this route, when you fly matters more than who you fly. Book the morning: morning departures from LAX reach SMF on time 92% of the time, versus 81% later in the day. Overall the route posts a 86% on-time rate, ahead of the national 78%. Among carriers, SkyWest Airlines has the edge at 88%.
- On-time
- 86%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 10 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 0.3%
- Flights/day
- 15
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 1h 31m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 373 mi
Best airline from LAX to SMF
5 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SkyWest Airlinesmost reliable | 88% | 9 min | 0.2% | 7,363 |
| Frontier Airlines | 86% | 9 min | 1.5% | 453 |
| Southwest Airlines | 84% | 10 min | 0.2% | 3,420 |
| United Airlines | 83% | 8 min | 0.0% | 201 |
| Delta Air Lines | 65% | 25 min | 0.6% | 162 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from LAX to SMF
Aim for departures around 5 a.m. (98% on-time); avoid 9 p.m. departures (76%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 85% | 11 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 90% | 6 min |
| Wednesday | 89% | 8 min |
| Thursday | 86% | 9 min |
| Friday | 85% | 9 min |
| Saturday | 88% | 10 min |
| Sunday | 82% | 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 aircraft36%
- Airline operations50%
- National airspace system5%
- Weather9%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from LAX to SMF delayed?
- 14% of LAX–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 10 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from LAX to SMF?
- SkyWest Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 88%, based on 7,363 flights. 5 airlines flew LAX–SMF frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from LAX to SMF?
- Departures around 5 a.m. have the best record (98% on-time), while departures around 9 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 LAX to SMF?
- The scheduled LAX–SMF flight time averages 1h 31m over 373 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 14% of the time.
- How often are LAX 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 day of the week is most reliable for LAX to SMF?
- Tuesday flights have the best record at 90% on-time. Day-of-week differences on this route are modest.
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Based on 11,600 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.