Best Time to Fly DEN to SMF: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
Denver International → Sacramento International
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
3,850 flights were scheduled from Denver (DEN) to Sacramento (SMF) in the last 12 months, and 73.8% of those that flew arrived on time, 3.8 points below the US average of 77.6%.
Among 3 airlines, Frontier Airlines led with 81.9% on time and Southwest Airlines was last with 65.9%.
Over 24 months, Tuesday was the most reliable day (78% on time) and June the worst month (60%).
The cancellation rate was 0.3% (US average 1.8%).
DEN 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frontier Airlines | 81.9% | 66 min | 0.0% | 183 |
| United Airlines | 81.3% | 60 min | 0.3% | 1,793 |
| Southwest Airlines | 65.9% | 51 min | 0.3% | 1,873 |
| SkyWest Airlines | Limited data | 1 | ||
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly DEN to SMF
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 7,873 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12am–1am | Limited data | 2 | |
| 5am–6am | Limited data | 28 | |
| 6am–7am | 98.5% | 0.0% | 193 |
| 7am–8am | 88.0% | 0.0% | 418 |
| 8am–9am | 92.1% | 0.1% | 833 |
| 9am–10am | 86.0% | 0.3% | 365 |
| 10am–11am | 78.1% | 0.0% | 306 |
| 11am–12pm | 82.9% | 0.2% | 939 |
| 12pm–1pm | 70.1% | 0.0% | 97 |
| 1pm–2pm | 78.6% | 0.0% | 728 |
| 2pm–3pm | 60.5% | 0.0% | 205 |
| 3pm–4pm | 73.5% | 0.5% | 626 |
| 4pm–5pm | 73.7% | 0.0% | 559 |
| 5pm–6pm | 59.6% | 0.0% | 47 |
| 6pm–7pm | 48.6% | 1.8% | 226 |
| 7pm–8pm | 66.7% | 0.3% | 978 |
| 8pm–9pm | 59.6% | 0.3% | 640 |
| 9pm–10pm | 56.6% | 0.4% | 487 |
| 10pm–11pm | 62.3% | 1.6% | 194 |
| 11pm–12am | Limited data | 2 | |
Best day of the week
24 months, by day of departure.
Best month to fly
24 months, by calendar month.
Holiday travel on DEN 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) | 80.6% | +3.1 pts | 0.0% | 160 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 67.5% | -10.0 pts | 0.0% | 305 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 65.1% | -12.5 pts | 0.9% | 1,537 |
| All other days | 77.6% | — | 0.1% | 5,871 |
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).