Best Time to Fly SMF to PDX: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
Sacramento International → Portland International
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
Over the last 12 months, 83.2% of Sacramento (SMF) to Portland (PDX) flights arrived on time (1,954 scheduled flights). That is 5.6 points above the national average of 77.6%.
Among 3 airlines, Alaska Airlines led with 90.2% on time and Southwest Airlines was last with 80.3%.
Over 24 months, Tuesday was the most reliable day (89% on time) and June the worst month (75%).
The cancellation rate was 0.4% (US average 1.8%).
SMF to PDX 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska Airlines | 90.2% | 82 min | 1.0% | 390 |
| SkyWest Airlines | 85.6% | 60 min | 0.6% | 352 |
| Southwest Airlines | 80.3% | 47 min | 0.1% | 1,212 |
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly SMF to PDX
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 3,837 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5am–6am | 95.7% | 0.4% | 233 |
| 6am–7am | 97.9% | 0.3% | 332 |
| 7am–8am | 95.1% | 0.0% | 143 |
| 8am–9am | Limited data | 5 | |
| 9am–10am | 87.1% | 0.0% | 171 |
| 10am–11am | 90.4% | 0.0% | 115 |
| 11am–12pm | 90.3% | 0.5% | 186 |
| 12pm–1pm | 87.0% | 0.4% | 532 |
| 1pm–2pm | 80.5% | 0.0% | 185 |
| 2pm–3pm | 86.9% | 1.1% | 356 |
| 3pm–4pm | 82.3% | 0.0% | 136 |
| 4pm–5pm | 78.7% | 0.0% | 61 |
| 5pm–6pm | 76.0% | 0.5% | 205 |
| 6pm–7pm | 71.1% | 0.0% | 316 |
| 7pm–8pm | 76.8% | 0.2% | 424 |
| 8pm–9pm | 74.2% | 0.0% | 205 |
| 9pm–10pm | 70.5% | 0.0% | 224 |
| 10pm–11pm | Limited data | 8 | |
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 PDX
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) | 86.8% | +1.0 pts | 0.0% | 68 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 69.3% | -16.5 pts | 0.0% | 153 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 78.3% | -7.5 pts | 0.2% | 793 |
| All other days | 85.8% | — | 0.3% | 2,823 |
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).