Sacramento (SMF) to Charlotte (CLT): On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
The calendar drives reliability on SMF–CLT. October 2025 flights landed on schedule 97% of the time, but September 2024 dropped to 67% — a gap of 31 points. Across the full period the route averages 88% on-time against a national 78%.
- On-time
- 88%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 11 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.8%
- Flights/day
- 1.3
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 4h 48m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 2,244 mi
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from SMF to CLT
Aim for departures around 12 p.m. (97% on-time); avoid 1 p.m. departures (63%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 88% | 7 min |
| Tuesday | 92% | 6 min |
| Wednesdaybest | 92% | 5 min |
| Thursday | 86% | 8 min |
| Friday | 88% | 10 min |
| Saturday | 88% | 19 min |
| Sunday | 81% | 23 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft20%
- Airline operations69%
- National airspace system10%
- Weather1%
- Security1%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from SMF to CLT delayed?
- 12% of SMF–CLT 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 11 minutes.
- What is the best time of day to fly from SMF to CLT?
- Departures around 12 p.m. have the best record (97% on-time), while departures around 1 p.m. have the worst (63%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from SMF to CLT?
- The scheduled SMF–CLT flight time averages 4h 48m over 2,244 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 12% of the time.
- How often are SMF to CLT flights cancelled?
- 1.8% of scheduled flights on this route were cancelled between 2024-06 and 2026-05, slightly above the national rate of 1.6%.
- What is the worst month to fly from SMF to CLT?
- September 2024 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 67% of arrivals on time. The best was October 2025 at 97%. If your dates are flexible, that 31-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 840 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.