PlainFlights

Route · ATL → SMF · 2020–2025 BTS data

Atlanta to Sacramento

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), ATL to SMF (Atlanta to Sacramento) ranks #2278 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

84.2%
On-time
+5.2 pts
vs US avg
57 min
Delay when late
5,474
Flights
#2278 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

0.9%

Best Month

Mar 2024 95%

Worst Month

Jul 2024 71%

Distance

2,092 mi

Carriers

1

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 88 20 2 0 DL
Nov 2025 77 12 3 0 DL
Oct 2025 85 12 0 0 DL
Sep 2025 77 7 0 1 DL
Aug 2025 82 18 0 0 DL
Jul 2025 88 19 1 0 DL
Jun 2025 86 24 2 0 DL
May 2025 87 19 1 0 DL
Apr 2025 86 13 0 0 DL
Mar 2025 88 17 0 0 DL
Feb 2025 78 21 0 1 DL
Jan 2025 80 19 2 0 DL
Dec 2024 89 18 0 0 DL
Nov 2024 76 13 0 0 DL
Oct 2024 84 8 0 0 DL
Sep 2024 80 6 0 0 DL
Aug 2024 85 10 0 0 DL
Jul 2024 83 24 7 0 DL
Jun 2024 84 10 0 0 DL
May 2024 79 17 0 0 DL
Apr 2024 77 7 0 0 DL
Mar 2024 80 4 0 0 DL
Feb 2024 71 15 0 0 DL
Jan 2024 73 8 0 1 DL

ATL–SMF seasonal on-time pattern

Best: September (91.3%) · weakest: December (79.2%)

75%80%85%90%95% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 79.2%

Strongest calendar month

September

91.3% on-time · ~73 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

December

~84 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

December

79.2% on-time · ~84 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

0.9%

18 of 1,963 flights

Diversion Rate

0.2%

3 of 1,963 flights

Explore origin & destination

On-time and delay data for the airports this route connects.

ATL - Atlanta

Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Atlanta, GA.

ATL on-time profile

SMF - Sacramento

Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Sacramento, CA.

SMF on-time profile

Compare the two airports

See ATL and SMF side by side on delays, cancellations, and reliability.

Compare ATL vs SMF

Origin-hub reliability standing

Mid-pack among ATL departures

From ATL, this corridor sits with 75 other 75–85% on-time routes out of 144 tracked departures, not the hub's reliability leaders (67 at ≥85%) and not the softest ( 2 below 75%). Destination: Sacramento · fleet on-time rank #1496 of 4927.

What the Data Says About ATL to SMF

Bureau of Transportation Statistics records show Atlanta to Sacramento (ATL to SMF) running a 84.2% on-time rate over 5,474 tracked flights, on the stronger end of a typical domestic pairing. When flights do run late, the average delay is 57.4 minutes. The 2,092-mile corridor is served by 1 carrier, and over the last 24 months 0.9% of 1,963 flights were cancelled, 0.2% diverted.

The monthly split is wide on this route: Mar 2024 posted the strongest performance at 95% on-time, while Jul 2024 came in at just 71% - a 24-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, ATL–SMF peaks in September at 91.3% on-time while December carries the heaviest traffic (~84 flights per month) ; the softest month is December at 79.2%, a 12.1-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does ATL to SMF rank among US routes by traffic? ▼
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, ATL to SMF ranks #2278 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1). That ordinal matches our busiest-routes listing (total_flights DESC). See /methodology#corpus-placement for the exact sort basis.
How often are flights delayed from ATL to SMF? ▼
Flights from Atlanta to Sacramento have a 84.2% on-time rate based on 5,474 flights. The average delay is 57.4 minutes. The best recent month was Mar 2024 with 95% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for ATL to SMF? ▼
Over the last 24 months, 0.9% of flights on this route were cancelled (18 of 1,963 flights) and 0.2% were diverted.
How far is the flight from ATL to SMF? ▼
The flight distance from Atlanta (ATL) to Sacramento (SMF) is approximately 2,092 miles. This route is served by 1 carrier.
When is the best time to fly from ATL to SMF? ▼
The best recent month for on-time performance was Mar 2024 (95% on-time). The worst was Jul 2024 (71% on-time). Consider booking during months with historically better performance.

Airports on this route

ATL Airport

Atlanta
SMF Airport

Sacramento
Data source

Data Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), On-Time Performance Data. Statistics reflect cumulative performance across all available reporting periods.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Using ATL–SMF data

ATL–SMF runs 5.2 pts above the national 79% average; the remaining risk is month-to-month swing and carrier mix, not a weak headline rate.

  • Compare ATL and SMF airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. ATL airport
  • If your dates flex, September (91.3% on-time) beats December (79.2%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 84.2% on-time rate; compare before you commit to this pairing. Similar routes

On-time rate reflects the BTS historical average across all reporting carriers on this origin–destination pair, not any single flight or booking recommendation.

Data sourced from U.S. Department of Transportation Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) On-Time Performance data. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainFlights

Every figure on PlainFlights is rendered directly from BTS On-Time Performance data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page aggregates this specific route's on-time performance and monthly trend, live from the dataset. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.