PlainFlights

Route · BUR → SMF · 2020–2025 BTS data

Burbank to Sacramento

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), BUR to SMF (Burbank to Sacramento) ranks #571 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

86.7%
On-time
+7.7 pts
vs US avg
55 min
Delay when late
15,739
Flights
#571 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

1.5%

Best Month

Feb 2025 93%

Worst Month

Oct 2025 79%

Distance

358 mi

Carriers

3

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 228 32 9 0 WN
Nov 2025 235 41 4 0 WN
Oct 2025 242 52 6 0 WN
Sep 2025 228 24 1 0 WN
Aug 2025 231 28 4 0 WN
Jul 2025 239 26 6 0 WN
Jun 2025 238 29 3 0 WN
May 2025 251 40 1 0 WN
Apr 2025 245 25 1 0 WN
Mar 2025 240 28 6 1 WN
Feb 2025 190 13 2 0 WN
Jan 2025 194 21 5 0 WN
Dec 2024 216 34 2 0 WN
Nov 2024 234 26 1 0 NK,WN
Oct 2024 287 49 3 0 WN,NK
Sep 2024 271 41 5 0 WN,NK
Aug 2024 227 31 3 0 WN
Jul 2024 230 26 4 0 WN
Jun 2024 226 31 5 0 WN
May 2024 220 39 1 0 WN
Apr 2024 218 31 1 0 WN
Mar 2024 224 25 2 0 WN
Feb 2024 190 23 4 0 WN
Jan 2024 216 27 3 0 WN

BUR–SMF seasonal on-time pattern

Best: February (91.1%) · weakest: December (82.4%)

80%82%84%86%88%90%92% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 82.4%

Strongest calendar month

February

91.1% on-time · ~204 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

March

~231 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

December

82.4% on-time · ~217 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

1.5%

82 of 5,520 flights

Diversion Rate

0.0%

1 of 5,520 flights

Origin-hub reliability standing

Among BUR's stronger departures

BUR → SMF posts a 86.7% on-time rate, landing in the ≥85% band with 8 of 21 BTS-tracked routes leaving Burbank. The same hub also shows 12 mid-band and 1 challenged departures · fleet-wide on-time rank #702 of 4927 (highest on-time = #1).

What the Data Says About BUR to SMF

Burbank to Sacramento (BUR to SMF) is one of the more dependable pairings in the BTS On-Time Performance dataset: a 86.7% on-time rate across 15,739 flights, with delays that do happen averaging 54.6 minutes. The corridor runs roughly 358 miles and is served by 3 carriers. Over the most recent 24 months, 82 of 5,520 flights were cancelled (1.5%) and 1 diverted (0.0%).

Monthly performance varies moderately here: Feb 2025 was the strongest month at 93% on-time versus Oct 2025 at 79%, a 15-point difference.

On the multi-year calendar, BUR–SMF peaks in February at 91.1% on-time while March carries the heaviest traffic (~231 flights per month) ; the softest month is December at 82.4%, a 8.7-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does BUR to SMF rank among US routes by traffic?
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, BUR to SMF ranks #571 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 BUR to SMF?
Flights from Burbank to Sacramento have a 86.7% on-time rate based on 15,739 flights. The average delay is 54.6 minutes. The best recent month was Feb 2025 with 93% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for BUR to SMF?
Over the last 24 months, 1.5% of flights on this route were cancelled (82 of 5,520 flights) and 0.0% were diverted.
How far is the flight from BUR to SMF?
The flight distance from Burbank (BUR) to Sacramento (SMF) is approximately 358 miles. This route is served by 3 carriers.
When is the best time to fly from BUR to SMF?
The best recent month for on-time performance was Feb 2025 (93% on-time). The worst was Oct 2025 (79% on-time). Consider booking during months with historically better performance.

Airports on this route

Data source

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

Using BUR–SMF data

BUR–SMF runs 7.7 pts above the national 79% average; the remaining risk is month-to-month swing and carrier mix, not a weak headline rate.

  • Compare BUR and SMF airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. BUR airport
  • If your dates flex, February (91.1% on-time) beats December (82.4%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 86.7% 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.