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Route · PSP → SMF · 2020–2025 BTS data

Palm Springs to Sacramento

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), PSP to SMF (Palm Springs to Sacramento) ranks #3867 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

83.8%
On-time
+4.8 pts
vs US avg
60 min
Delay when late
1,939
Flights
#3867 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

0.2%

Best Month

Dec 2023 96%

Worst Month

Mar 2025 76%

Distance

439 mi

Carriers

1

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 44 5 0 0 WN
Nov 2025 44 10 0 1 WN
Oct 2025 44 6 0 0 WN
Sep 2025 30 9 0 0 WN
Aug 2025 31 5 0 0 WN
May 2025 48 6 0 0 WN
Apr 2025 49 11 0 0 WN
Mar 2025 59 14 0 1 WN
Feb 2025 43 10 0 0 WN
Jan 2025 36 3 0 1 WN
Dec 2024 32 4 0 0 WN
May 2024 48 8 0 0 WN
Apr 2024 50 5 0 1 WN
Mar 2024 58 12 0 0 WN
Feb 2024 42 7 0 0 WN
Jan 2024 47 6 0 0 WN
Dec 2023 57 2 0 0 WN
Nov 2023 52 5 0 0 WN
Oct 2023 31 4 0 0 WN
Sep 2023 30 1 0 0 WN
Aug 2023 31 2 2 0 WN
Jul 2023 31 3 0 0 WN
Jun 2023 32 3 0 0 WN
May 2023 54 9 0 0 WN

PSP–SMF seasonal on-time pattern

Best: August (91.4%) · weakest: March (78.9%)

75%80%85%90%95% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 80.6%

Strongest calendar month

August

91.4% on-time · ~31 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

March

~57 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

March

78.9% on-time · ~57 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

0.2%

2 of 1,023 flights

Diversion Rate

0.4%

4 of 1,023 flights

Explore origin & destination

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

PSP - Palm Springs

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

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

Compare PSP vs SMF

Origin-hub reliability standing

Mid-pack among PSP departures

From PSP, this corridor sits with 8 other 75–85% on-time routes out of 16 tracked departures, not the hub's reliability leaders (6 at ≥85%) and not the softest ( 2 below 75%). Destination: Sacramento · fleet on-time rank #1664 of 4927.

What the Data Says About PSP to SMF

Bureau of Transportation Statistics records show Palm Springs to Sacramento (PSP to SMF) running a 83.8% on-time rate over 1,939 tracked flights, on the stronger end of a typical domestic pairing. When flights do run late, the average delay is 59.5 minutes. The 439-mile corridor is served by 1 carrier, and over the last 24 months 0.2% of 1,023 flights were cancelled, 0.4% diverted.

The monthly split is wide on this route: Dec 2023 posted the strongest performance at 96% on-time, while Mar 2025 came in at just 76% - a 20-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, PSP–SMF peaks in August at 91.4% on-time while March carries the heaviest traffic (~57 flights per month) ; the softest month is March at 78.9%, a 12.5-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does PSP to SMF rank among US routes by traffic? ▼
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, PSP to SMF ranks #3867 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 PSP to SMF? ▼
Flights from Palm Springs to Sacramento have a 83.8% on-time rate based on 1,939 flights. The average delay is 59.5 minutes. The best recent month was Dec 2023 with 96% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for PSP to SMF? ▼
Over the last 24 months, 0.2% of flights on this route were cancelled (2 of 1,023 flights) and 0.4% were diverted.
How far is the flight from PSP to SMF? ▼
The flight distance from Palm Springs (PSP) to Sacramento (SMF) is approximately 439 miles. This route is served by 1 carrier.
When is the best time to fly from PSP to SMF? ▼
The best recent month for on-time performance was Dec 2023 (96% on-time). The worst was Mar 2025 (76% on-time). Consider booking during months with historically better performance.

Airports on this route

PSP Airport

Palm Springs
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 PSP–SMF data

PSP–SMF runs 4.8 pts above the national 79% average; the remaining risk is month-to-month swing and carrier mix, not a weak headline rate.

  • Compare PSP and SMF airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. PSP airport
  • If your dates flex, August (91.4% on-time) beats March (78.9%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 83.8% 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.