Best Time to Fly BWI to SMF: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall → Sacramento International
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
364 flights were scheduled from Baltimore (BWI) to Sacramento (SMF) in the last 12 months, and 63.7% of those that flew arrived on time, 13.9 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 (71% on time) and December the worst month (45%).
The cancellation rate was 0.8% (US average 1.8%).
BWI 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 | 63.7% | 46 min | 0.8% | 364 |
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly BWI to SMF
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 527 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7am–8am | Limited data | 7 | |
| 8am–9am | Limited data | 21 | |
| 9am–10am | 76.7% | 1.6% | 61 |
| 10am–11am | Limited data | 1 | |
| 11am–12pm | Limited data | 9 | |
| 12pm–1pm | 70.9% | 1.8% | 56 |
| 1pm–2pm | 68.2% | 0.0% | 45 |
| 2pm–3pm | Limited data | 26 | |
| 3pm–4pm | 80.7% | 0.0% | 57 |
| 4pm–5pm | 61.5% | 0.0% | 53 |
| 5pm–6pm | 51.0% | 0.0% | 51 |
| 6pm–7pm | 39.1% | 0.0% | 46 |
| 7pm–8pm | 52.6% | 1.3% | 79 |
| 8pm–9pm | Limited data | 10 | |
| 9pm–10pm | Limited data | 5 | |
Best day of the week
24 months, by day of departure.
Best month to fly
24 months, by calendar month.
Holiday travel on BWI 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 | 6 | ||
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | Limited data | 15 | ||
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 55.6% | -12.7 pts | 1.7% | 118 |
| All other days | 68.3% | — | 0.5% | 388 |
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).