Sacramento (SMF) to Nashville (BNA): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
Sacramento (SMF) to Nashville (BNA) is a thinner route than most in this dataset — 345 departures over the past year, roughly 7 a week — so treat these numbers as indicative rather than definitive. Of the flights that did operate, 84% arrived on time, comfortably above the national average of 78%.
- On-time
- 84%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 8 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 0.3%
- Flights/day
- 0.95
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 4h 5m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 1,917 mi
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from SMF to BNA
Aim for departures around 5 a.m. (94% on-time); avoid 1 p.m. departures (62%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 73% | 12 min |
| Tuesday | 86% | 8 min |
| Wednesdaybest | 90% | 6 min |
| Thursday | 85% | 7 min |
| Friday | 84% | 7 min |
| Saturday | 85% | 8 min |
| Sunday | 84% | 10 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft33%
- Airline operations43%
- National airspace system22%
- Security1%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from SMF to BNA delayed?
- 16% of SMF–BNA 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 8 minutes.
- What is the best time of day to fly from SMF to BNA?
- Departures around 5 a.m. have the best record (94% on-time), while departures around 1 p.m. have the worst (62%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from SMF to BNA?
- The scheduled SMF–BNA flight time averages 4h 5m over 1,917 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 16% of the time.
- How often are SMF to BNA 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 SMF to BNA?
- December 2024 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 55% of arrivals on time. The best was October 2025 at 97%. If your dates are flexible, that 42-point gap is worth planning around.
Explore related pages
More routes from SMF
Other ways to fly to Nashville (BNA)
Related guides
Based on 732 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.