Best Time to Fly SMF to PHX: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
Sacramento International → Phoenix Sky Harbor International
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
Over the last 12 months, 81.2% of Sacramento (SMF) to Phoenix (PHX) flights arrived on time (3,630 scheduled flights). That is 3.6 points above the national average of 77.6%.
Among 4 airlines, American Airlines led with 87.0% on time and SkyWest Airlines was last with 77.6%.
Over 24 months, Saturday was the most reliable day (87% on time) and June the worst month (76%).
The cancellation rate was 0.6% (US average 1.8%).
SMF to PHX 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Airlines | 87.0% | 105 min | 0.6% | 1,020 |
| Envoy Air | 83.1% | 63 min | 0.7% | 143 |
| Southwest Airlines | 78.9% | 48 min | 0.5% | 2,135 |
| SkyWest Airlines | 77.6% | 64 min | 0.6% | 332 |
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly SMF to PHX
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 7,429 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5am–6am | 94.7% | 0.4% | 726 |
| 6am–7am | 92.5% | 0.5% | 747 |
| 7am–8am | 88.9% | 0.0% | 253 |
| 8am–9am | 94.8% | 0.0% | 305 |
| 9am–10am | 90.6% | 0.0% | 448 |
| 10am–11am | 91.3% | 0.4% | 511 |
| 11am–12pm | 85.3% | 0.9% | 214 |
| 12pm–1pm | 81.9% | 0.1% | 814 |
| 1pm–2pm | 84.2% | 0.6% | 313 |
| 2pm–3pm | 73.0% | 0.4% | 231 |
| 3pm–4pm | 70.2% | 1.0% | 299 |
| 4pm–5pm | 76.5% | 0.7% | 907 |
| 5pm–6pm | 75.8% | 0.0% | 191 |
| 6pm–7pm | 71.0% | 0.0% | 307 |
| 7pm–8pm | 77.1% | 0.5% | 743 |
| 8pm–9pm | 73.4% | 0.4% | 234 |
| 9pm–10pm | 73.2% | 0.6% | 165 |
| 10pm–11pm | Limited data | 21 | |
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 PHX
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) | 84.0% | -1.0 pts | 0.7% | 151 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 76.8% | -8.2 pts | 0.0% | 319 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 77.1% | -7.9 pts | 0.3% | 1,180 |
| All other days | 85.0% | — | 0.5% | 5,779 |
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).