Sacramento (SMF) to San Francisco (SFO): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
The calendar drives reliability on SMF–SFO. July 2024 flights landed on schedule 92% of the time, but June 2026 dropped to 51% — a gap of 41 points. Across the full period the route averages 73% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (79% vs 53%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 73%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 21 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.4%
- Flights/day
- 3.7
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 1h 6m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 86 mi
Best airline from SMF to SFO
2 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlinesmost reliable | 94% | 5 min | 0.0% | 94 |
| SkyWest Airlines | 72% | 22 min | 1.4% | 2,569 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from SMF to SFO
Aim for departures around 5 a.m. (93% on-time); avoid 7 p.m. departures (41%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 66% | 26 min |
| Tuesday | 78% | 18 min |
| Wednesday | 71% | 23 min |
| Thursday | 72% | 23 min |
| Friday | 70% | 19 min |
| Saturdaybest | 81% | 15 min |
| Sunday | 72% | 25 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft28%
- Airline operations31%
- National airspace system36%
- Weather6%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from SMF to SFO delayed?
- 28% of SMF–SFO 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 21 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from SMF to SFO?
- United Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 94%, based on 94 flights. 2 airlines flew SMF–SFO frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from SMF to SFO?
- Departures around 5 a.m. have the best record (93% on-time), while departures around 7 p.m. have the worst (41%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from SMF to SFO?
- The scheduled SMF–SFO flight time averages 1h 6m over 86 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 28% of the time.
- How often are SMF to SFO flights cancelled?
- 1.4% of scheduled flights on this route were cancelled between 2024-07 and 2026-07, at or below the national rate of 1.6%.
- What is the worst month to fly from SMF to SFO?
- June 2026 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 51% of arrivals on time. The best was July 2024 at 92%. If your dates are flexible, that 41-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 2,663 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.