PlainFlights

Route · SMF → BUR · 2020–2025 BTS data

Sacramento to Burbank

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), SMF to BUR (Sacramento to Burbank) ranks #574 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

85.1%
On-time
+6.1 pts
vs US avg
56 min
Delay when late
15,729
Flights
#574 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

1.5%

Best Month

Feb 2024 91%

Worst Month

Dec 2024 74%

Distance

358 mi

Carriers

3

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 228 42 8 3 WN
Nov 2025 235 44 5 1 WN
Oct 2025 242 45 7 3 WN
Sep 2025 228 33 0 0 WN
Aug 2025 231 28 4 1 WN
Jul 2025 238 27 5 0 WN
Jun 2025 236 30 5 0 WN
May 2025 248 43 0 0 WN
Apr 2025 244 42 1 0 WN
Mar 2025 245 31 6 1 WN
Feb 2025 198 28 3 0 WN
Jan 2025 195 26 5 1 WN
Dec 2024 216 56 3 1 WN
Nov 2024 234 33 0 0 NK,WN
Oct 2024 287 50 1 2 WN,NK
Sep 2024 270 49 6 3 WN,NK
Aug 2024 227 29 4 0 WN
Jul 2024 231 38 4 1 WN
Jun 2024 227 44 3 0 WN
May 2024 220 39 1 0 WN
Apr 2024 216 35 2 2 WN
Mar 2024 221 26 5 2 WN
Feb 2024 198 18 3 1 WN
Jan 2024 224 24 2 0 WN

SMF–BUR seasonal on-time pattern

Best: February (90.2%) · weakest: December (79.3%)

75%80%85%90%95% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 79.3%

Strongest calendar month

February

90.2% on-time · ~206 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

October

~231 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

December

79.3% on-time · ~216 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

1.5%

83 of 5,539 flights

Diversion Rate

0.4%

22 of 5,539 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

BUR - Burbank

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

BUR on-time profile

Compare the two airports

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

Compare SMF vs BUR

Origin-hub reliability standing

Among SMF's stronger departures

SMF → BUR posts a 85.1% 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 #1200 of 4927 (highest on-time = #1).

What the Data Says About SMF to BUR

Sacramento to Burbank (SMF to BUR) is one of the more dependable pairings in the BTS On-Time Performance dataset: a 85.1% on-time rate across 15,729 flights, with delays that do happen averaging 56.3 minutes. The corridor runs roughly 358 miles and is served by 3 carriers. Over the most recent 24 months, 83 of 5,539 flights were cancelled (1.5%) and 22 diverted (0.4%).

The monthly split is wide on this route: Feb 2024 posted the strongest performance at 91% on-time, while Dec 2024 came in at just 74% - a 17-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, SMF–BUR peaks in February at 90.2% on-time while October carries the heaviest traffic (~231 flights per month) ; the softest month is December at 79.3%, a 10.9-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does SMF to BUR rank among US routes by traffic? ▼
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, SMF to BUR ranks #574 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 BUR? ▼
Flights from Sacramento to Burbank have a 85.1% on-time rate based on 15,729 flights. The average delay is 56.3 minutes. The best recent month was Feb 2024 with 91% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for SMF to BUR? ▼
Over the last 24 months, 1.5% of flights on this route were cancelled (83 of 5,539 flights) and 0.4% were diverted.
How far is the flight from SMF to BUR? ▼
The flight distance from Sacramento (SMF) to Burbank (BUR) is approximately 358 miles. This route is served by 3 carriers.
When is the best time to fly from SMF to BUR? ▼
The best recent month for on-time performance was Feb 2024 (91% on-time). The worst was Dec 2024 (74% on-time). Consider booking during months with historically better performance.

Airports on this route

SMF Airport

Sacramento
BUR Airport

Burbank
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–BUR data

SMF–BUR runs 6.1 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 BUR airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. SMF airport
  • If your dates flex, February (90.2% on-time) beats December (79.3%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 85.1% 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.