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Route · MSP → SMF · 2020–2025 BTS data

Minneapolis to Sacramento

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), MSP to SMF (Minneapolis to Sacramento) ranks #3390 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

84.6%
On-time
+5.6 pts
vs US avg
63 min
Delay when late
2,793
Flights
#3390 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

0.5%

Best Month

Dec 2023 96%

Worst Month

Jun 2024 54%

Distance

1,517 mi

Carriers

1

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 60 23 2 0 DL
Nov 2025 57 5 0 0 DL
Oct 2025 58 5 0 0 DL
Sep 2025 55 4 0 0 DL
Aug 2025 60 9 0 0 DL
Jul 2025 60 10 0 0 DL
Jun 2025 60 8 0 0 DL
May 2025 55 14 0 0 DL
Apr 2025 30 7 0 0 DL
Mar 2025 31 10 0 0 DL
Jan 2025 36 4 0 0 DL
Dec 2024 60 14 0 0 DL
Nov 2024 47 8 0 0 DL
Oct 2024 53 5 0 0 DL
Sep 2024 51 2 0 0 DL
Aug 2024 54 16 0 0 DL
Jul 2024 56 15 4 0 DL
Jun 2024 56 26 0 0 DL
May 2024 52 10 0 0 DL
Apr 2024 30 9 0 0 DL
Mar 2024 31 3 0 0 DL
Jan 2024 31 1 0 0 DL
Dec 2023 55 2 0 0 DL
Nov 2023 48 6 0 0 DL

MSP–SMF seasonal on-time pattern

Best: September (95.1%) · weakest: December (74.1%)

70%75%80%85%90%95%100% JanMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 74.1%

Strongest calendar month

September

95.1% on-time · ~54 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

August

~56 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

December

74.1% on-time · ~53 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

0.5%

6 of 1,186 flights

Diversion Rate

0.0%

0 of 1,186 flights

Explore origin & destination

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

MSP - Minneapolis

Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Minneapolis, MN.

MSP 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 MSP and SMF side by side on delays, cancellations, and reliability.

Compare MSP vs SMF

Origin-hub reliability standing

Mid-pack among MSP departures

From MSP, this corridor sits with 57 other 75–85% on-time routes out of 99 tracked departures, not the hub's reliability leaders (42 at ≥85%) and not the softest ( 0 below 75%). Destination: Sacramento · fleet on-time rank #1374 of 4927.

What the Data Says About MSP to SMF

Bureau of Transportation Statistics records show Minneapolis to Sacramento (MSP to SMF) running a 84.6% on-time rate over 2,793 tracked flights, on the stronger end of a typical domestic pairing. When flights do run late, the average delay is 63.0 minutes. The 1,517-mile corridor is served by 1 carrier, and over the last 24 months 0.5% of 1,186 flights were cancelled, 0.0% diverted.

The monthly split is wide on this route: Dec 2023 posted the strongest performance at 96% on-time, while Jun 2024 came in at just 54% - a 43-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, MSP–SMF peaks in September at 95.1% on-time while August carries the heaviest traffic (~56 flights per month) ; the softest month is December at 74.1%, a 21.0-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does MSP to SMF rank among US routes by traffic? ▼
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, MSP to SMF ranks #3390 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 MSP to SMF? ▼
Flights from Minneapolis to Sacramento have a 84.6% on-time rate based on 2,793 flights. The average delay is 63.0 minutes. The best recent month was Dec 2023 with 96% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for MSP to SMF? ▼
Over the last 24 months, 0.5% of flights on this route were cancelled (6 of 1,186 flights) and 0.0% were diverted.
How far is the flight from MSP to SMF? ▼
The flight distance from Minneapolis (MSP) to Sacramento (SMF) is approximately 1,517 miles. This route is served by 1 carrier.
When is the best time to fly from MSP to SMF? ▼
The best recent month for on-time performance was Dec 2023 (96% on-time). The worst was Jun 2024 (54% on-time). Consider booking during months with historically better performance.

Airports on this route

MSP Airport

Minneapolis
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 MSP–SMF data

MSP–SMF runs 5.6 pts above the national 79% average; the remaining risk is month-to-month swing and carrier mix, not a weak headline rate.

  • Compare MSP and SMF airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. MSP airport
  • If your dates flex, September (95.1% on-time) beats December (74.1%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 84.6% 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.