Sacramento (SMF) to Salt Lake City (SLC): 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 SLC on time 94% of the time, versus 80% later in the day. Overall the route posts a 88% on-time rate, ahead of the national 78%. Among carriers, SkyWest Airlines has the edge at 93%.
- On-time
- 88%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 9 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 0.7%
- Flights/day
- 5.9
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 1h 41m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 532 mi
Best airline from SMF to SLC
3 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SkyWest Airlinesmost reliable | 93% | 5 min | 0.0% | 89 |
| Delta Air Lines | 90% | 9 min | 0.8% | 3,208 |
| Southwest Airlines | 83% | 11 min | 0.2% | 1,074 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from SMF to SLC
Aim for departures around 5 a.m. (96% on-time); avoid 6 p.m. departures (72%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 88% | 9 min |
| Tuesday | 89% | 8 min |
| Wednesdaybest | 90% | 9 min |
| Thursday | 88% | 9 min |
| Friday | 86% | 12 min |
| Saturday | 88% | 7 min |
| Sundaybest | 90% | 10 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft56%
- Airline operations40%
- National airspace system4%
- Weather1%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from SMF to SLC delayed?
- 12% of SMF–SLC 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 SLC?
- SkyWest Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 93%, based on 89 flights. 3 airlines flew SMF–SLC frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from SMF to SLC?
- Departures around 5 a.m. have the best record (96% on-time), while departures around 6 p.m. have the worst (72%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from SMF to SLC?
- The scheduled SMF–SLC flight time averages 1h 41m over 532 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 12% of the time.
- How often are SMF to SLC flights cancelled?
- 0.7% 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 SLC?
- Wednesday flights have the best record at 90% on-time. Day-of-week differences on this route are modest.
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Based on 4,371 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.