Best Time to Fly SMF to SEA: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
Sacramento International → Seattle/Tacoma International
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
Over the last 12 months, 82.7% of Sacramento (SMF) to Seattle (SEA) flights arrived on time (4,390 scheduled flights). That is 5.1 points above the national average of 77.6%.
SkyWest Airlines was the most punctual of the 3 airlines on the route at 87.3%, while Southwest Airlines trailed at 77.7%.
November has been the best month (88% on time) and Thursday the weakest day of the week (78%).
0.3% of flights were cancelled, versus 1.8% nationally.
SMF to SEA 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 | 87.3% | 59 min | 0.3% | 1,899 |
| Alaska Airlines | 80.4% | 44 min | 0.5% | 1,352 |
| Southwest Airlines | 77.7% | 42 min | 0.2% | 1,139 |
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly SMF to SEA
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 8,622 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5am–6am | 98.2% | 0.0% | 223 |
| 6am–7am | 92.9% | 0.3% | 1,350 |
| 7am–8am | 91.8% | 0.0% | 403 |
| 8am–9am | 70.3% | 0.9% | 466 |
| 9am–10am | 83.3% | 0.0% | 150 |
| 10am–11am | 84.7% | 0.5% | 396 |
| 11am–12pm | 89.1% | 0.3% | 712 |
| 12pm–1pm | 80.5% | 0.3% | 593 |
| 1pm–2pm | 89.1% | 0.0% | 532 |
| 2pm–3pm | 76.1% | 0.6% | 699 |
| 3pm–4pm | 69.6% | 0.8% | 128 |
| 4pm–5pm | 84.3% | 0.0% | 504 |
| 5pm–6pm | 78.8% | 0.3% | 610 |
| 6pm–7pm | 76.0% | 0.5% | 415 |
| 7pm–8pm | 70.5% | 0.3% | 625 |
| 8pm–9pm | 72.9% | 0.4% | 522 |
| 9pm–10pm | 74.7% | 0.0% | 265 |
| 10pm–11pm | Limited data | 29 | |
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 SEA
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) | 88.7% | +5.2 pts | 1.4% | 147 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 80.0% | -3.6 pts | 0.0% | 266 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 77.5% | -6.1 pts | 0.3% | 1,763 |
| All other days | 83.6% | — | 0.3% | 6,446 |
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).