Best Time to Fly SNA to SMF: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
John Wayne Airport-Orange County → Sacramento International
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
2,311 flights were scheduled from Santa Ana (SNA) to Sacramento (SMF) in the last 12 months, and 86.5% of those that flew arrived on time, 8.9 points above the US average of 77.6%.
Southwest Airlines was the only reporting airline with regular flights on this route.
January has been the best month (92% on time) and Sunday the weakest day of the week (80%).
0.9% of flights were cancelled, versus 1.8% nationally.
SNA 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southwest Airlines | 86.5% | 50 min | 0.9% | 2,311 |
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly SNA to SMF
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 4,559 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6am–7am | 98.5% | 1.5% | 198 |
| 7am–8am | 96.8% | 0.5% | 447 |
| 8am–9am | 95.0% | 0.7% | 284 |
| 9am–10am | 91.9% | 0.0% | 295 |
| 10am–11am | 93.8% | 0.8% | 243 |
| 11am–12pm | 87.4% | 0.7% | 280 |
| 12pm–1pm | 88.9% | 0.7% | 308 |
| 1pm–2pm | 81.5% | 0.3% | 299 |
| 2pm–3pm | 81.5% | 0.7% | 310 |
| 3pm–4pm | 78.5% | 0.7% | 136 |
| 4pm–5pm | 74.8% | 1.2% | 326 |
| 5pm–6pm | 77.8% | 0.3% | 312 |
| 6pm–7pm | 77.2% | 0.9% | 430 |
| 7pm–8pm | 82.9% | 0.0% | 270 |
| 8pm–9pm | 79.5% | 2.6% | 387 |
| 9pm–10pm | 74.2% | 8.8% | 34 |
Best day of the week
24 months, by day of departure.
Best month to fly
24 months, by calendar month.
Holiday travel on SNA 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) | 86.0% | -0.4 pts | 0.0% | 86 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 76.2% | -10.2 pts | 2.6% | 190 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 83.3% | -3.2 pts | 2.3% | 833 |
| All other days | 86.4% | — | 0.4% | 3,450 |
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).