Best Time to Fly SFO to SMF: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
San Francisco International → Sacramento International
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
1,355 flights were scheduled from San Francisco (SFO) to Sacramento (SMF) in the last 12 months, and 77.8% of those that flew arrived on time, in line with the US average of 77.6%.
Among 2 airlines, SkyWest Airlines led with 78.8% on time and United Airlines was last with 64.7%.
Over 24 months, Tuesday was the most reliable day (86% on time) and July the worst month (71%).
The cancellation rate was 1.6% (US average 1.8%).
SFO 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SkyWest Airlines | 78.8% | 81 min | 1.7% | 1,270 |
| United Airlines | 64.7% | 51 min | 0.0% | 85 |
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly SFO to SMF
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 2,601 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8am–9am | 84.2% | 1.5% | 545 |
| 9am–10am | 78.2% | 1.5% | 135 |
| 11am–12pm | 83.8% | 0.0% | 37 |
| 12pm–1pm | 80.2% | 0.9% | 342 |
| 1pm–2pm | 80.0% | 0.0% | 90 |
| 2pm–3pm | 81.5% | 0.0% | 81 |
| 3pm–4pm | 82.2% | 0.0% | 45 |
| 4pm–5pm | 63.2% | 4.4% | 91 |
| 5pm–6pm | 64.0% | 2.6% | 77 |
| 6pm–7pm | 86.0% | 2.9% | 455 |
| 8pm–9pm | 74.8% | 2.0% | 102 |
| 9pm–10pm | 83.9% | 0.6% | 169 |
| 10pm–11pm | 72.0% | 0.5% | 387 |
| 11pm–12am | 91.1% | 0.0% | 45 |
Best day of the week
24 months, by day of departure.
Best month to fly
24 months, by calendar month.
Holiday travel on SFO 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) | 73.6% | -7.7 pts | 0.0% | 53 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 67.1% | -14.2 pts | 1.2% | 83 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 76.9% | -4.4 pts | 0.2% | 399 |
| All other days | 81.3% | — | 1.7% | 2,066 |
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).