Best Time to Fly SMF to LGB: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
Sacramento International → Long Beach Airport
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
1,869 flights were scheduled from Sacramento (SMF) to Long Beach (LGB) in the last 12 months, and 85.9% of those that flew arrived on time, 8.2 points above the US average of 77.6%.
Southwest Airlines was the only reporting airline with regular flights on this route.
September has been the best month (90% on time) and Friday the weakest day of the week (83%).
0.3% of flights were cancelled, versus 1.8% nationally.
SMF to LGB 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 | 85.9% | 51 min | 0.3% | 1,869 |
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly SMF to LGB
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 3,871 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6am–7am | 92.9% | 0.5% | 382 |
| 7am–8am | 96.6% | 0.3% | 324 |
| 8am–9am | 92.0% | 0.6% | 175 |
| 9am–10am | 89.6% | 0.5% | 368 |
| 10am–11am | 92.2% | 0.0% | 219 |
| 11am–12pm | 92.1% | 1.7% | 180 |
| 12pm–1pm | 88.6% | 0.0% | 325 |
| 1pm–2pm | 82.3% | 0.0% | 175 |
| 2pm–3pm | 83.7% | 0.5% | 222 |
| 3pm–4pm | 89.9% | 0.0% | 129 |
| 4pm–5pm | 81.2% | 0.0% | 314 |
| 5pm–6pm | 79.1% | 0.0% | 363 |
| 6pm–7pm | 79.4% | 0.5% | 205 |
| 7pm–8pm | 79.6% | 0.6% | 490 |
Best day of the week
24 months, by day of departure.
Best month to fly
24 months, by calendar month.
Holiday travel on SMF to LGB
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) | 85.7% | -1.8 pts | 0.0% | 77 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 72.0% | -15.6 pts | 1.2% | 167 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 86.4% | -1.1 pts | 0.3% | 643 |
| All other days | 87.5% | — | 0.3% | 2,984 |
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).