Best Time to Fly SMF to BNA: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
Sacramento International → Nashville International
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
Over the last 12 months, 88.9% of Sacramento (SMF) to Nashville (BNA) flights arrived on time (345 scheduled flights). That is 11.3 points above the national average of 77.6%.
Southwest Airlines was the only reporting airline with regular flights on this route.
Over 24 months, Wednesday was the most reliable day (91% on time) and December the worst month (68%).
The cancellation rate was 0.3% (US average 1.8%).
SMF to BNA 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southwest Airlines | 88.9% | 38 min | 0.3% | 345 |
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly SMF to BNA
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 697 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5am–6am | 93.9% | 0.0% | 49 |
| 6am–7am | 92.7% | 1.2% | 84 |
| 7am–8am | Limited data | 26 | |
| 8am–9am | 86.5% | 0.0% | 74 |
| 9am–10am | 76.0% | 0.0% | 50 |
| 10am–11am | 85.9% | 0.0% | 86 |
| 11am–12pm | 82.3% | 1.0% | 97 |
| 12pm–1pm | Limited data | 19 | |
| 1pm–2pm | 62.3% | 0.0% | 61 |
| 2pm–3pm | Limited data | 1 | |
| 6pm–7pm | Limited data | 1 | |
| 10pm–11pm | Limited data | 9 | |
| 11pm–12am | 85.0% | 0.0% | 140 |
Best day of the week
24 months, by day of departure.
Best month to fly
24 months, by calendar month.
Holiday travel on SMF to BNA
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 | 14 | ||
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 66.7% | -19.1 pts | 0.0% | 30 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 81.6% | -4.1 pts | 0.0% | 137 |
| All other days | 85.8% | — | 0.4% | 516 |
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).