Sacramento (SMF) to Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW): On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
The calendar drives reliability on SMF–DFW. October 2024 flights landed on schedule 90% of the time, but July 2024 dropped to 57% — a gap of 32 points. Across the full period the route averages 78% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (83% vs 73%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 78%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 19 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 2.3%
- Flights/day
- 4.6
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 3h 22m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 1,431 mi
Best airline from SMF to DFW
2 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Airlinesmost reliable | 79% | 19 min | 2.2% | 3,378 |
| Frontier Airlines | 52% | 38 min | 2.9% | 68 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from SMF to DFW
Aim for departures around 5 a.m. (92% on-time); avoid 5 p.m. departures (49%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 79% | 19 min |
| Tuesday | 80% | 13 min |
| Wednesdaybest | 81% | 13 min |
| Thursday | 81% | 16 min |
| Friday | 76% | 22 min |
| Saturday | 76% | 19 min |
| Sunday | 75% | 29 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft46%
- Airline operations37%
- National airspace system14%
- Weather3%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from SMF to DFW delayed?
- 22% of SMF–DFW 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 19 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from SMF to DFW?
- American Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 79%, based on 3,378 flights. 2 airlines flew SMF–DFW frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from SMF to DFW?
- Departures around 5 a.m. have the best record (92% on-time), while departures around 5 p.m. have the worst (49%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from SMF to DFW?
- The scheduled SMF–DFW flight time averages 3h 22m over 1,431 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 22% of the time.
- How often are SMF to DFW flights cancelled?
- 2.3% 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 DFW?
- July 2024 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 32-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 3,446 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.