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Route · SAN → SMF · 2020–2025 BTS data

San Diego to Sacramento

The SAN–SMF corridor (San Diego, CA → Sacramento, CA) runs ahead of the national average, served by 15 carriers across roughly 480 miles.

Data updated 2026-06-13

81.6%
On-time
+2.6 pts
vs US avg
55 min
Delay when late
30,295
Flights

Cancelled

0.8%

Best Month

Jan 2025 87%

Worst Month

Oct 2024 69%

Distance

480 mi

Carriers

15

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 398 116 7 0 WN,AS,OO
Nov 2025 441 101 15 0 OO,AS,WN
Oct 2025 421 99 0 0 AS,OO,WN
Sep 2025 416 77 4 1 WN,OO
Aug 2025 442 98 1 0 OO,WN
Jul 2025 465 130 2 0 OO,WN
Jun 2025 449 122 5 0 OO,WN
May 2025 444 92 1 0 OO,WN
Apr 2025 430 92 4 0 OO,WN
Mar 2025 427 110 3 2 OO,WN,F9
Feb 2025 366 65 1 0 OO,WN,F9
Jan 2025 391 51 7 2 OO,WN,F9
Dec 2024 443 132 13 1 F9,NK,OO,WN
Nov 2024 463 108 0 0 OO,NK,WN,F9
Oct 2024 495 154 9 0 OO,WN,NK,F9
Sep 2024 468 123 0 0 WN,OO,F9,NK
Aug 2024 501 106 2 0 F9,NK,WN,OO
Jul 2024 492 153 1 0 NK,OO,WN
Jun 2024 474 140 4 0 NK,OO,WN
May 2024 463 70 0 0 NK,OO,WN
Apr 2024 448 80 2 1 NK,OO,WN
Mar 2024 427 95 1 0 OO,WN
Feb 2024 377 64 3 0 OO,WN
Jan 2024 409 83 2 0 WN,OO

Cancellation Rate

0.8%

87 of 10,550 flights

Diversion Rate

0.1%

7 of 10,550 flights

What the Data Says About SAN to SMF

30,295 tracked flights put the SAN to SMF pairing (San Diego to Sacramento) at a 81.6% on-time rate, squarely in line with the wider network. Delays that do occur run 55.3 minutes on average. Across the 480-mile route and its 15 carriers, the trailing 24 months show 0.8% cancelled and 0.1% diverted (10,550 flights sampled).

The monthly split is wide on this route: Jan 2025 posted the strongest performance at 87% on-time, while Oct 2024 came in at just 69% - a 18-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

Frequently Asked Questions

How often are flights delayed from SAN to SMF?
Flights from San Diego to Sacramento have a 81.6% on-time rate based on 30,295 flights. The average delay is 55.3 minutes. The best recent month was Jan 2025 with 87% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for SAN to SMF?
Over the last 24 months, 0.8% of flights on this route were cancelled (87 of 10,550 flights) and 0.1% were diverted.
How far is the flight from SAN to SMF?
The flight distance from San Diego (SAN) to Sacramento (SMF) is approximately 480 miles. This route is served by 15 carriers.
When is the best time to fly from SAN to SMF?
The best recent month for on-time performance was Jan 2025 (87% on-time). The worst was Oct 2024 (69% on-time). Consider booking during months with historically better performance.

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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.

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 Editorial

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.