Route · ORD → SMF · 2020–2025 BTS data
Chicago to Sacramento
The ORD–SMF corridor (Chicago, IL → Sacramento, CA) runs behind the national average, served by 3 carriers across roughly 1,781 miles.
Data updated 2026-06-13
- 78.5%
- On-time
- -0.5 pts
- vs US avg
- 64 min
- Delay when late
- 6,001
- Flights
Cancelled
1.0%
Best Month
Feb 2024 91%
Worst Month
Dec 2025 57%
Distance
1,781 mi
Carriers
3
Monthly Performance
Recent 24 months of route data.
| Period | Flights | Delayed | Cancelled | Diverted | Carriers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 2025 | 75 | 32 | 0 | 0 | UA |
| Nov 2025 | 91 | 30 | 3 | 0 | UA,AA |
| Oct 2025 | 123 | 34 | 0 | 1 | AA,UA |
| Sep 2025 | 117 | 24 | 0 | 0 | UA,AA |
| Aug 2025 | 121 | 41 | 0 | 0 | AA,UA |
| Jul 2025 | 123 | 52 | 0 | 0 | AA,UA |
| Jun 2025 | 120 | 30 | 1 | 0 | AA,UA |
| May 2025 | 124 | 18 | 0 | 0 | AA,UA |
| Apr 2025 | 117 | 18 | 0 | 0 | UA,AA |
| Mar 2025 | 64 | 17 | 0 | 0 | UA |
| Feb 2025 | 56 | 12 | 0 | 0 | UA |
| Jan 2025 | 73 | 11 | 0 | 0 | AA,UA |
| Dec 2024 | 89 | 18 | 0 | 0 | AA,UA |
| Nov 2024 | 87 | 13 | 0 | 0 | UA,AA |
| Oct 2024 | 109 | 11 | 0 | 0 | UA,AA |
| Sep 2024 | 114 | 14 | 1 | 1 | UA,AA |
| Aug 2024 | 122 | 37 | 4 | 1 | AA,UA |
| Jul 2024 | 122 | 35 | 3 | 0 | AA,UA |
| Jun 2024 | 117 | 41 | 3 | 0 | AA,UA |
| May 2024 | 123 | 42 | 4 | 0 | AA,UA |
| Apr 2024 | 109 | 14 | 0 | 1 | AA,UA |
| Mar 2024 | 62 | 13 | 0 | 0 | UA |
| Feb 2024 | 58 | 5 | 0 | 0 | UA |
| Jan 2024 | 73 | 17 | 4 | 0 | AA,UA |
Cancellation Rate
1.0%
23 of 2,389 flights
Diversion Rate
0.2%
4 of 2,389 flights
Explore origin & destination
On-time and delay data for the airports this route connects.
ORD - Chicago
Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Chicago, IL.
Origin airport →SMF - Sacramento
Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Sacramento, CA.
Destination airport →Compare the two airports
See ORD and SMF side by side on delays, cancellations, and reliability.
Open comparison tool →Similar routes
Other BTS-tracked routes with comparable performance or trip length to ORD–SMF.
Routes with a similar on-time rate
What the Data Says About ORD to SMF
6,001 tracked flights put the ORD to SMF pairing (Chicago to Sacramento) at a 78.5% on-time rate, squarely in line with the wider network. Delays that do occur run 63.6 minutes on average. Across the 1,781-mile route and its 3 carriers, the trailing 24 months show 1.0% cancelled and 0.2% diverted (2,389 flights sampled).
The monthly split is wide on this route: Feb 2024 posted the strongest performance at 91% on-time, while Dec 2025 came in at just 57% - a 34-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often are flights delayed from ORD to SMF? ▼
What is the cancellation rate for ORD to SMF? ▼
How far is the flight from ORD to SMF? ▼
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Flight Guides
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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.
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.