Sacramento (SMF) to Burbank (BUR): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
The calendar drives reliability on SMF–BUR. February 2026 flights landed on schedule 90% of the time, but December 2024 dropped to 73% — a gap of 17 points. Across the full period the route averages 84% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (93% vs 74%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 84%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 9 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.6%
- Flights/day
- 7.1
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 1h 17m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 358 mi
Best airline from SMF to BUR
2 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southwest Airlinesmost reliable | 85% | 9 min | 1.6% | 5,556 |
| Spirit Airlines | 76% | 16 min | 1.7% | 119 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from SMF to BUR
Aim for departures around 7 a.m. (95% on-time); avoid 6 p.m. departures (70%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 84% | 9 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 88% | 6 min |
| Wednesday | 88% | 7 min |
| Thursday | 85% | 9 min |
| Friday | 79% | 13 min |
| Saturday | 88% | 7 min |
| Sunday | 81% | 12 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft66%
- Airline operations21%
- National airspace system12%
- Weather1%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from SMF to BUR delayed?
- 16% of SMF–BUR 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 9 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from SMF to BUR?
- Southwest Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 85%, based on 5,556 flights. 2 airlines flew SMF–BUR frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from SMF to BUR?
- Departures around 7 a.m. have the best record (95% on-time), while departures around 6 p.m. have the worst (70%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from SMF to BUR?
- The scheduled SMF–BUR flight time averages 1h 17m over 358 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 16% of the time.
- How often are SMF to BUR flights cancelled?
- 1.6% 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 BUR?
- December 2024 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 73% of arrivals on time. The best was February 2026 at 90%. If your dates are flexible, that 17-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 5,675 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.