Best Time to Fly IAH to SMF: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
George Bush Intercontinental/Houston → Sacramento International
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
676 flights were scheduled from Houston (IAH) to Sacramento (SMF) in the last 12 months, and 79.5% of those that flew arrived on time, 1.9 points above the US average of 77.6%.
United Airlines was the only reporting airline with regular flights on this route.
February has been the best month (90% on time) and Sunday the weakest day of the week (72%).
0.1% of flights were cancelled, versus 1.8% nationally.
IAH to SMF on-time performance by airline
Last 12 months. Airlines with fewer than 30 completed flights are marked “limited data”.
| Airline | On time | Avg delay when late | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlines | 79.5% | 53 min | 0.1% | 676 |
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly IAH to SMF
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 1,326 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9am–10am | 87.2% | 0.3% | 367 |
| 10am–11am | 83.0% | 0.0% | 232 |
| 6pm–7pm | Limited data | 1 | |
| 7pm–8pm | 72.0% | 0.4% | 244 |
| 8pm–9pm | 72.3% | 0.4% | 482 |
Best day of the week
24 months, by day of departure.
Best month to fly
24 months, by calendar month.
Holiday travel on IAH to SMF
On-time arrivals during holiday periods compared with all other days, last 24 months.
| Period | On time | vs other days | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thanksgiving week (Tue before to Mon after) | Limited data | 25 | ||
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | Limited data | 30 | ||
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 76.4% | -3.3 pts | 0.0% | 246 |
| All other days | 79.7% | — | 0.3% | 1,025 |
Monthly on-time trend
On-time arrival % each month, with the 12-month US average for reference.
What causes delays on this route
Share of reported delay minutes, last 12 months (BTS cause categories).