Seattle (SEA) 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 SEA reach SMF on time 88% of the time, versus 74% later in the day. Overall the route posts a 80% on-time rate, in line with the national average. Among carriers, SkyWest Airlines has the edge at 88%.
- On-time
- 80%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 11 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 0.4%
- Flights/day
- 12
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 1h 57m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 605 mi
Best airline from SEA to SMF
3 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SkyWest Airlinesmost reliable | 88% | 8 min | 0.1% | 3,851 |
| Alaska Airlines | 75% | 12 min | 0.7% | 2,709 |
| Southwest Airlines | 74% | 14 min | 0.5% | 2,474 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from SEA to SMF
Aim for departures around 5 a.m. (97% on-time); avoid 9 p.m. departures (66%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 82% | 9 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 86% | 7 min |
| Wednesday | 85% | 9 min |
| Thursday | 77% | 13 min |
| Friday | 77% | 13 min |
| Saturday | 79% | 11 min |
| Sunday | 77% | 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 aircraft43%
- Airline operations39%
- National airspace system11%
- Weather7%
- Security1%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from SEA to SMF delayed?
- 20% of SEA–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.
- Which airline is most reliable from SEA to SMF?
- SkyWest Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 88%, based on 3,851 flights. 3 airlines flew SEA–SMF frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from SEA to SMF?
- Departures around 5 a.m. have the best record (97% on-time), while departures around 9 p.m. have the worst (66%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from SEA to SMF?
- The scheduled SEA–SMF flight time averages 1h 57m over 605 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 20% of the time.
- How often are SEA to SMF flights cancelled?
- 0.4% 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 SEA to SMF?
- Tuesday flights have the best record at 86% on-time. Day-of-week differences on this route are meaningful — Friday trails at 77%.
Explore related pages
More routes from SEA
Other ways to fly to Sacramento (SMF)
Related guides
Based on 9,034 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.