Best Time to Fly SEA to SMF: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
Seattle/Tacoma International → Sacramento International
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
Over the last 12 months, 82.0% of Seattle (SEA) to Sacramento (SMF) flights arrived on time (4,381 scheduled flights). That is 4.4 points above the national average of 77.6%.
SkyWest Airlines was the most punctual of the 3 airlines on the route at 89.0%, while Southwest Airlines trailed at 73.2%.
April has been the best month (85% on time) and Friday the weakest day of the week (77%).
0.4% of flights were cancelled, versus 1.8% nationally.
SEA 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SkyWest Airlines | 89.0% | 59 min | 0.3% | 1,888 |
| Alaska Airlines | 79.8% | 45 min | 0.5% | 1,353 |
| Southwest Airlines | 73.2% | 48 min | 0.3% | 1,140 |
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly SEA to SMF
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 8,617 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5am–6am | 97.3% | 0.9% | 228 |
| 6am–7am | 93.5% | 0.0% | 280 |
| 7am–8am | 89.7% | 0.5% | 448 |
| 8am–9am | 93.1% | 0.1% | 826 |
| 9am–10am | 87.0% | 0.6% | 544 |
| 10am–11am | 86.4% | 0.3% | 605 |
| 11am–12pm | 71.8% | 0.6% | 481 |
| 12pm–1pm | 75.8% | 0.7% | 611 |
| 1pm–2pm | 80.3% | 0.0% | 355 |
| 2pm–3pm | 81.5% | 0.7% | 456 |
| 3pm–4pm | 80.1% | 0.6% | 335 |
| 4pm–5pm | 74.9% | 0.3% | 609 |
| 5pm–6pm | 80.1% | 0.3% | 293 |
| 6pm–7pm | 71.4% | 0.5% | 401 |
| 7pm–8pm | 78.2% | 0.2% | 1,102 |
| 8pm–9pm | 73.6% | 0.0% | 356 |
| 9pm–10pm | 66.3% | 0.9% | 557 |
| 10pm–11pm | 69.0% | 0.8% | 130 |
Best day of the week
24 months, by day of departure.
Best month to fly
24 months, by calendar month.
Holiday travel on SEA 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) | 80.3% | -2.3 pts | 0.0% | 147 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 74.1% | -8.5 pts | 0.0% | 266 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 74.3% | -8.3 pts | 0.3% | 1,764 |
| All other days | 82.6% | — | 0.5% | 6,440 |
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).