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Route · SMF → MDW · 2020–2025 BTS data

Sacramento to Chicago

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), SMF to MDW (Sacramento to Chicago) ranks #3452 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

85.5%
On-time
+6.5 pts
vs US avg
50 min
Delay when late
2,674
Flights
#3452 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

0.2%

Best Month

Aug 2024 96%

Worst Month

May 2025 77%

Distance

1,790 mi

Carriers

1

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 31 6 0 0 WN
Nov 2025 31 5 0 0 WN
Oct 2025 55 10 0 0 WN
Sep 2025 78 13 0 0 WN
Aug 2025 78 9 0 2 WN
Jul 2025 80 11 0 2 WN
Jun 2025 73 8 0 0 WN
May 2025 53 12 1 0 WN
Apr 2025 47 8 0 0 WN
Mar 2025 32 5 0 1 WN
Feb 2025 30 2 0 0 WN
Jan 2025 31 5 0 0 WN
Dec 2024 31 9 0 2 WN
Nov 2024 31 4 0 0 WN
Oct 2024 56 5 0 0 WN
Sep 2024 81 6 0 0 WN
Aug 2024 83 3 0 0 WN
Jul 2024 80 14 0 0 WN
Jun 2024 73 13 0 0 WN
May 2024 55 4 0 0 WN
Apr 2024 50 5 0 0 WN
Mar 2024 31 3 0 0 WN
Jan 2024 31 1 1 0 WN
Dec 2023 31 0 0 0 WN

SMF–MDW seasonal on-time pattern

Best: February (93.3%) · weakest: June (75.9%)

75%80%85%90%95% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 82.6%

Strongest calendar month

February

93.3% on-time · ~30 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

August

~61 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

June

75.9% on-time · ~58 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

0.2%

2 of 1,252 flights

Diversion Rate

0.6%

7 of 1,252 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

MDW - Chicago

Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Chicago, IL.

MDW on-time profile

Compare the two airports

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

Compare SMF vs MDW

Origin-hub reliability standing

Among SMF's stronger departures

SMF → MDW posts a 85.5% 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 #1074 of 4927 (highest on-time = #1).

What the Data Says About SMF to MDW

Sacramento to Chicago (SMF to MDW) is one of the more dependable pairings in the BTS On-Time Performance dataset: a 85.5% on-time rate across 2,674 flights, with delays that do happen averaging 50.0 minutes. The corridor runs roughly 1,790 miles and is served by 1 carrier. Over the most recent 24 months, 2 of 1,252 flights were cancelled (0.2%) and 7 diverted (0.6%).

The monthly split is wide on this route: Aug 2024 posted the strongest performance at 96% on-time, while May 2025 came in at just 77% - a 19-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, SMF–MDW peaks in February at 93.3% on-time while August carries the heaviest traffic (~61 flights per month) ; the softest month is June at 75.9%, a 17.4-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does SMF to MDW rank among US routes by traffic? ▼
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, SMF to MDW ranks #3452 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 MDW? ▼
Flights from Sacramento to Chicago have a 85.5% on-time rate based on 2,674 flights. The average delay is 50.0 minutes. The best recent month was Aug 2024 with 96% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for SMF to MDW? ▼
Over the last 24 months, 0.2% of flights on this route were cancelled (2 of 1,252 flights) and 0.6% were diverted.
How far is the flight from SMF to MDW? ▼
The flight distance from Sacramento (SMF) to Chicago (MDW) is approximately 1,790 miles. This route is served by 1 carrier.
When is the best time to fly from SMF to MDW? ▼
The best recent month for on-time performance was Aug 2024 (96% on-time). The worst was May 2025 (77% on-time). Consider booking during months with historically better performance.

Airports on this route

SMF Airport

Sacramento
MDW Airport

Chicago
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–MDW data

SMF–MDW runs 6.5 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 MDW airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. SMF airport
  • If your dates flex, February (93.3% on-time) beats June (75.9%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 85.5% 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.