Best Time to Fly BNA to SMF: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
Nashville International → Sacramento International
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
345 flights were scheduled from Nashville (BNA) to Sacramento (SMF) in the last 12 months, and 66.1% of those that flew arrived on time, 11.5 points below the US average of 77.6%.
Southwest Airlines was the only reporting airline with regular flights on this route.
Over 24 months, Tuesday was the most reliable day (77% on time) and July the worst month (52%).
The cancellation rate was 0.6% (US average 1.8%).
BNA to SMF 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southwest Airlines | 66.1% | 41 min | 0.6% | 345 |
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly BNA to SMF
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 696 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8am–9am | 80.0% | 0.0% | 45 |
| 9am–10am | 100.0% | 0.0% | 35 |
| 10am–11am | Limited data | 18 | |
| 11am–12pm | 53.1% | 0.0% | 32 |
| 12pm–1pm | 73.5% | 1.4% | 69 |
| 1pm–2pm | 75.4% | 0.6% | 180 |
| 2pm–3pm | 52.6% | 0.0% | 97 |
| 3pm–4pm | 75.3% | 0.0% | 74 |
| 4pm–5pm | 67.6% | 0.0% | 74 |
| 5pm–6pm | 56.2% | 0.0% | 32 |
| 6pm–7pm | Limited data | 14 | |
| 7pm–8pm | Limited data | 13 | |
| 9pm–10pm | Limited data | 13 | |
Best day of the week
24 months, by day of departure.
Best month to fly
24 months, by calendar month.
Holiday travel on BNA to SMF
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) | Limited data | 14 | ||
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 63.3% | -10.8 pts | 0.0% | 30 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 58.4% | -15.8 pts | 0.0% | 137 |
| All other days | 74.2% | — | 0.6% | 515 |
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).