Best Time to Fly SMF to SLC: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
Sacramento International → Salt Lake City International
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
2,160 flights were scheduled from Sacramento (SMF) to Salt Lake City (SLC) in the last 12 months, and 87.4% of those that flew arrived on time, 9.8 points above the US average of 77.6%.
Among 3 airlines, SkyWest Airlines led with 91.8% on time and Southwest Airlines was last with 81.6%.
Over 24 months, Sunday was the most reliable day (90% on time) and December the worst month (86%).
The cancellation rate was 0.8% (US average 1.8%).
SMF to SLC 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 | 91.8% | 64 min | 0.0% | 73 |
| Delta Air Lines | 89.5% | 86 min | 1.1% | 1,510 |
| Southwest Airlines | 81.6% | 63 min | 0.2% | 577 |
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly SMF to SLC
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 4,191 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5am–6am | 96.0% | 0.4% | 781 |
| 6am–7am | 94.5% | 0.0% | 55 |
| 7am–8am | Limited data | 6 | |
| 8am–9am | 94.7% | 0.0% | 113 |
| 9am–10am | 93.4% | 0.6% | 533 |
| 10am–11am | 92.0% | 0.0% | 425 |
| 11am–12pm | 89.8% | 1.0% | 100 |
| 12pm–1pm | 89.0% | 0.0% | 100 |
| 1pm–2pm | 87.7% | 0.3% | 732 |
| 2pm–3pm | Limited data | 30 | |
| 3pm–4pm | Limited data | 29 | |
| 4pm–5pm | 80.2% | 0.0% | 101 |
| 5pm–6pm | 84.4% | 1.0% | 694 |
| 6pm–7pm | 72.5% | 0.6% | 173 |
| 7pm–8pm | 78.8% | 0.9% | 230 |
| 8pm–9pm | 73.4% | 0.0% | 79 |
| 9pm–10pm | Limited data | 10 | |
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 SLC
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) | 85.1% | -4.4 pts | 1.1% | 88 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 81.8% | -7.7 pts | 0.0% | 160 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 86.3% | -3.2 pts | 0.6% | 801 |
| All other days | 89.5% | — | 0.5% | 3,142 |
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).