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Route · SMF → DEN · 2020–2025 BTS data

Sacramento to Denver

The SMF–DEN corridor (Sacramento, CA → Denver, CO) runs ahead of the national average, served by 15 carriers across roughly 909 miles.

Data updated 2026-06-13

84.5%
On-time
+5.5 pts
vs US avg
62 min
Delay when late
21,137
Flights

Cancelled

0.7%

Best Month

Oct 2024 95%

Worst Month

Jul 2025 71%

Distance

909 mi

Carriers

15

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 302 76 2 1 WN,F9,UA
Nov 2025 317 42 2 0 UA,F9,WN
Oct 2025 335 34 0 0 UA,WN,F9
Sep 2025 344 63 0 2 UA,WN,F9
Aug 2025 352 72 5 4 WN,F9,UA
Jul 2025 384 112 4 6 UA,WN,F9
Jun 2025 369 91 0 2 UA,WN,F9
May 2025 340 86 1 2 UA,WN,F9
Apr 2025 315 65 2 1 F9,UA,WN
Mar 2025 320 37 1 0 UA,WN,F9
Feb 2025 258 29 0 1 UA,WN,F9
Jan 2025 283 47 0 0 UA,WN,F9
Dec 2024 330 61 0 0 F9,UA,WN
Nov 2024 342 30 3 1 UA,WN,F9
Oct 2024 358 18 2 1 UA,WN,F9
Sep 2024 354 32 0 1 WN,UA,F9
Aug 2024 372 62 4 2 F9,WN,UA
Jul 2024 395 61 8 1 F9,UA,WN
Jun 2024 379 68 2 2 F9,UA,WN
May 2024 342 66 1 0 F9,UA,WN
Apr 2024 315 42 1 1 F9,UA,WN
Mar 2024 299 43 3 0 F9,OO,UA,WN
Feb 2024 241 29 2 1 OO,UA,WN
Jan 2024 269 40 13 1 F9,WN,UA

Cancellation Rate

0.7%

56 of 7,915 flights

Diversion Rate

0.4%

30 of 7,915 flights

What the Data Says About SMF to DEN

Bureau of Transportation Statistics records show Sacramento to Denver (SMF to DEN) running a 84.5% on-time rate over 21,137 tracked flights, on the stronger end of a typical domestic pairing. When flights do run late, the average delay is 62.0 minutes. The 909-mile corridor is served by 15 carriers, and over the last 24 months 0.7% of 7,915 flights were cancelled, 0.4% diverted.

The monthly split is wide on this route: Oct 2024 posted the strongest performance at 95% on-time, while Jul 2025 came in at just 71% - a 24-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

Frequently Asked Questions

How often are flights delayed from SMF to DEN?
Flights from Sacramento to Denver have a 84.5% on-time rate based on 21,137 flights. The average delay is 62.0 minutes. The best recent month was Oct 2024 with 95% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for SMF to DEN?
Over the last 24 months, 0.7% of flights on this route were cancelled (56 of 7,915 flights) and 0.4% were diverted.
How far is the flight from SMF to DEN?
The flight distance from Sacramento (SMF) to Denver (DEN) is approximately 909 miles. This route is served by 15 carriers.
When is the best time to fly from SMF to DEN?
The best recent month for on-time performance was Oct 2024 (95% on-time). The worst was Jul 2025 (71% 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.