Best Time to Fly SMF to SAN: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
Sacramento International → San Diego International
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
5,180 flights were scheduled from Sacramento (SMF) to San Diego (SAN) in the last 12 months, and 72.0% of those that flew arrived on time, 5.6 points below the US average of 77.6%.
Among 3 airlines, Alaska Airlines led with 83.8% on time and Southwest Airlines was last with 69.6%.
Over 24 months, Tuesday was the most reliable day (83% on time) and July the worst month (65%).
The cancellation rate was 1.0% (US average 1.8%).
SMF to SAN 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 | 83.8% | 36 min | 2.8% | 216 |
| SkyWest Airlines | 77.7% | 51 min | 2.0% | 1,160 |
| Southwest Airlines | 69.6% | 47 min | 0.6% | 3,804 |
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly SMF to SAN
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 10,521 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5am–6am | 88.7% | 0.0% | 53 |
| 6am–7am | 89.0% | 1.0% | 994 |
| 7am–8am | 86.0% | 1.4% | 834 |
| 8am–9am | 83.2% | 0.6% | 341 |
| 9am–10am | 84.1% | 1.2% | 604 |
| 10am–11am | 79.4% | 0.8% | 1,090 |
| 11am–12pm | 70.1% | 0.2% | 567 |
| 12pm–1pm | 78.2% | 0.5% | 562 |
| 1pm–2pm | 73.6% | 0.9% | 570 |
| 2pm–3pm | 70.6% | 0.5% | 796 |
| 3pm–4pm | 70.2% | 0.4% | 756 |
| 4pm–5pm | 63.8% | 0.2% | 473 |
| 5pm–6pm | 67.5% | 0.8% | 621 |
| 6pm–7pm | 59.0% | 1.9% | 700 |
| 7pm–8pm | 61.3% | 2.0% | 890 |
| 8pm–9pm | 72.3% | 0.7% | 429 |
| 9pm–10pm | 59.2% | 2.9% | 241 |
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 SAN
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) | 71.0% | -5.9 pts | 0.9% | 219 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 53.2% | -23.7 pts | 4.5% | 425 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 66.6% | -10.3 pts | 0.5% | 1,879 |
| All other days | 76.9% | — | 0.9% | 7,998 |
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).