Best Time to Fly EWR to SMF: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
Newark Liberty International → Sacramento International
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
Over the last 12 months, 69.6% of Newark (EWR) to Sacramento (SMF) flights arrived on time (283 scheduled flights). That is 8.1 points below the national average of 77.6%.
United Airlines was the only reporting airline with regular flights on this route.
September has been the best month (81% on time) and Friday the weakest day of the week (64%).
2.1% of flights were cancelled, versus 1.8% nationally.
EWR 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlines | 69.6% | 71 min | 2.1% | 283 |
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly EWR to SMF
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 566 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10am–11am | Limited data | 1 | |
| 5pm–6pm | 79.5% | 0.0% | 73 |
| 6pm–7pm | 70.3% | 2.0% | 246 |
| 7pm–8pm | 66.7% | 2.5% | 241 |
| 8pm–9pm | 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 EWR 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) | Limited data | 30 | ||
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 64.1% | -6.9 pts | 5.7% | 124 |
| All other days | 71.0% | — | 0.8% | 398 |
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).