Chicago (ORD) to Sacramento (SMF): On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
When you fly ORD to SMF matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 90% on-time in October 2024 to just 57% in December 2025. Across the full period the route averages 73% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (82% vs 60%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 73%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 17 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 0.9%
- Flights/day
- 3.6
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 4h 40m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 1,781 mi
Best airline from ORD to SMF
2 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlinesmost reliable | 74% | 17 min | 0.7% | 1,962 |
| American Airlines | 71% | 19 min | 1.7% | 539 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from ORD to SMF
Aim for departures around 8 a.m. (90% on-time); avoid 8 p.m. departures (58%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Mondaybest | 77% | 16 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 77% | 17 min |
| Wednesday | 73% | 17 min |
| Thursday | 72% | 16 min |
| Friday | 69% | 21 min |
| Saturday | 72% | 16 min |
| Sunday | 73% | 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 aircraft43%
- Airline operations35%
- National airspace system16%
- Weather6%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from ORD to SMF delayed?
- 27% of ORD–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 17 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from ORD to SMF?
- United Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 74%, based on 1,962 flights. 2 airlines flew ORD–SMF frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from ORD to SMF?
- Departures around 8 a.m. have the best record (90% 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 ORD to SMF?
- The scheduled ORD–SMF flight time averages 4h 40m over 1,781 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 27% of the time.
- How often are ORD to SMF flights cancelled?
- 0.9% 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 ORD to SMF?
- December 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 57% of arrivals on time. The best was October 2024 at 90%. If your dates are flexible, that 33-point gap is worth planning around.
Explore related pages
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Based on 2,501 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.