Best Time to Fly SMF to LAX: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
Sacramento International → Los Angeles International
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
5,643 flights were scheduled from Sacramento (SMF) to Los Angeles (LAX) in the last 12 months, and 85.5% of those that flew arrived on time, 7.8 points above the US average of 77.6%.
Among 5 airlines, Delta Air Lines led with 96.0% on time and Frontier Airlines was last with 72.8%.
Over 24 months, Wednesday was the most reliable day (92% on time) and December the worst month (84%).
The cancellation rate was 0.4% (US average 1.8%).
SMF to LAX 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delta Air Lines | 96.0% | 26 min | 1.3% | 76 |
| United Airlines | 91.5% | 72 min | 0.0% | 201 |
| SkyWest Airlines | 89.7% | 89 min | 0.4% | 3,509 |
| Southwest Airlines | 76.9% | 48 min | 0.3% | 1,631 |
| Frontier Airlines | 72.8% | 60 min | 2.2% | 226 |
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly SMF to LAX
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 11,177 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5am–6am | 95.8% | 0.0% | 143 |
| 6am–7am | 94.0% | 0.4% | 1,942 |
| 7am–8am | 87.9% | 0.2% | 621 |
| 8am–9am | 90.8% | 0.7% | 403 |
| 9am–10am | 90.4% | 0.3% | 629 |
| 10am–11am | 92.6% | 0.4% | 809 |
| 11am–12pm | 89.9% | 0.3% | 980 |
| 12pm–1pm | 89.3% | 1.4% | 438 |
| 1pm–2pm | 88.0% | 0.0% | 274 |
| 2pm–3pm | 86.1% | 0.0% | 778 |
| 3pm–4pm | 76.8% | 0.0% | 357 |
| 4pm–5pm | 83.0% | 0.6% | 509 |
| 5pm–6pm | 81.0% | 0.1% | 899 |
| 6pm–7pm | 82.2% | 0.1% | 828 |
| 7pm–8pm | 82.0% | 0.0% | 645 |
| 8pm–9pm | 80.4% | 0.1% | 765 |
| 9pm–10pm | 67.1% | 0.0% | 152 |
| 10pm–11pm | Limited data | 5 | |
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 LAX
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) | 86.7% | -1.3 pts | 0.0% | 211 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 72.5% | -15.5 pts | 0.8% | 363 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 85.5% | -2.5 pts | 0.3% | 2,024 |
| All other days | 88.0% | — | 0.3% | 8,579 |
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).