Sacramento (SMF) to Long Beach (LGB): 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 SMF reach LGB on time 92% of the time, versus 79% later in the day. Overall the route posts a 86% on-time rate, ahead of the national 78%.
- On-time
- 86%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 8 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 0.4%
- Flights/day
- 5.1
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 1h 26m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 387 mi
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from SMF to LGB
Aim for departures around 7 a.m. (96% on-time); avoid 5 p.m. departures (79%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 86% | 7 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 91% | 5 min |
| Wednesday | 91% | 5 min |
| Thursday | 84% | 8 min |
| Friday | 82% | 10 min |
| Saturday | 86% | 10 min |
| Sunday | 85% | 8 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft62%
- Airline operations23%
- National airspace system13%
- Weather2%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from SMF to LGB delayed?
- 14% of SMF–LGB 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 LGB?
- Departures around 7 a.m. have the best record (96% on-time), while departures around 5 p.m. have the worst (79%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from SMF to LGB?
- The scheduled SMF–LGB flight time averages 1h 26m over 387 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 14% of the time.
- How often are SMF to LGB 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 SMF to LGB?
- Tuesday flights have the best record at 91% on-time. Day-of-week differences on this route are meaningful — Friday trails at 82%.
Explore related pages
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Based on 4,042 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.