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Route · SMF → ATL · 2020–2025 BTS data

Sacramento to Atlanta

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), SMF to ATL (Sacramento to Atlanta) ranks #2279 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

88.1%
On-time
+9.1 pts
vs US avg
77 min
Delay when late
5,474
Flights
#2279 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

1.2%

Best Month

Sep 2025 99%

Worst Month

Jul 2024 75%

Distance

2,092 mi

Carriers

1

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 88 10 3 1 DL
Nov 2025 77 5 2 0 DL
Oct 2025 85 8 0 0 DL
Sep 2025 77 1 1 0 DL
Aug 2025 82 7 1 1 DL
Jul 2025 88 12 0 1 DL
Jun 2025 86 12 2 2 DL
May 2025 87 8 2 0 DL
Apr 2025 86 11 0 0 DL
Mar 2025 88 4 1 0 DL
Feb 2025 78 2 0 0 DL
Jan 2025 80 15 3 0 DL
Dec 2024 89 11 0 0 DL
Nov 2024 76 11 0 0 DL
Oct 2024 84 6 0 0 DL
Sep 2024 80 5 0 1 DL
Aug 2024 85 8 0 1 DL
Jul 2024 83 21 7 0 DL
Jun 2024 84 9 0 0 DL
May 2024 79 3 0 0 DL
Apr 2024 77 8 0 0 DL
Mar 2024 80 14 0 0 DL
Feb 2024 71 4 0 0 DL
Jan 2024 73 14 1 0 DL

SMF–ATL seasonal on-time pattern

Best: September (93.6%) · weakest: December (78.8%)

75%80%85%90%95% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 78.8%

Strongest calendar month

September

93.6% on-time · ~73 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

December

~84 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

December

78.8% on-time · ~84 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

1.2%

23 of 1,963 flights

Diversion Rate

0.4%

7 of 1,963 flights

Explore origin & destination

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

SMF - Sacramento

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

SMF on-time profile

ATL - Atlanta

Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Atlanta, GA.

ATL on-time profile

Compare the two airports

See SMF and ATL side by side on delays, cancellations, and reliability.

Compare SMF vs ATL

Origin-hub reliability standing

Among SMF's stronger departures

SMF → ATL posts a 88.1% on-time rate, landing in the ≥85% band with 20 of 35 BTS-tracked routes leaving Sacramento. The same hub also shows 14 mid-band and 1 challenged departures · fleet-wide on-time rank #410 of 4927 (highest on-time = #1).

What the Data Says About SMF to ATL

Sacramento to Atlanta (SMF to ATL) is one of the more dependable pairings in the BTS On-Time Performance dataset: a 88.1% on-time rate across 5,474 flights, with delays that do happen averaging 77.1 minutes. The corridor runs roughly 2,092 miles and is served by 1 carrier. Over the most recent 24 months, 23 of 1,963 flights were cancelled (1.2%) and 7 diverted (0.4%).

The monthly split is wide on this route: Sep 2025 posted the strongest performance at 99% on-time, while Jul 2024 came in at just 75% - a 24-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, SMF–ATL peaks in September at 93.6% on-time while December carries the heaviest traffic (~84 flights per month) ; the softest month is December at 78.8%, a 14.8-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does SMF to ATL rank among US routes by traffic? ▼
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, SMF to ATL ranks #2279 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 SMF to ATL? ▼
Flights from Sacramento to Atlanta have a 88.1% on-time rate based on 5,474 flights. The average delay is 77.1 minutes. The best recent month was Sep 2025 with 99% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for SMF to ATL? ▼
Over the last 24 months, 1.2% of flights on this route were cancelled (23 of 1,963 flights) and 0.4% were diverted.
How far is the flight from SMF to ATL? ▼
The flight distance from Sacramento (SMF) to Atlanta (ATL) is approximately 2,092 miles. This route is served by 1 carrier.
When is the best time to fly from SMF to ATL? ▼
The best recent month for on-time performance was Sep 2025 (99% on-time). The worst was Jul 2024 (75% on-time). Consider booking during months with historically better performance.

Airports on this route

SMF Airport

Sacramento
ATL Airport

Atlanta
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 SMF–ATL data

SMF–ATL runs 9.1 pts above the national 79% average; the remaining risk is month-to-month swing and carrier mix, not a weak headline rate.

  • Compare SMF and ATL airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. SMF airport
  • If your dates flex, September (93.6% on-time) beats December (78.8%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 88.1% 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.