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Route · SMF → MSP · 2020–2025 BTS data

Sacramento to Minneapolis

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), SMF to MSP (Sacramento to Minneapolis) ranks #3393 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

88.5%
On-time
+9.5 pts
vs US avg
85 min
Delay when late
2,792
Flights
#3393 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

0.5%

Best Month

Aug 2025 98%

Worst Month

Jun 2024 80%

Distance

1,517 mi

Carriers

1

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 61 11 2 0 DL
Nov 2025 57 4 0 0 DL
Oct 2025 58 1 0 0 DL
Sep 2025 55 2 0 0 DL
Aug 2025 60 1 0 0 DL
Jul 2025 60 5 0 0 DL
Jun 2025 60 3 0 0 DL
May 2025 55 3 0 0 DL
Apr 2025 30 1 0 0 DL
Mar 2025 31 5 0 0 DL
Jan 2025 36 8 0 0 DL
Dec 2024 60 5 0 0 DL
Nov 2024 47 5 0 0 DL
Oct 2024 53 5 0 1 DL
Sep 2024 51 4 0 0 DL
Aug 2024 54 8 1 0 DL
Jul 2024 56 6 3 1 DL
Jun 2024 56 11 0 0 DL
May 2024 52 4 0 0 DL
Apr 2024 30 1 0 0 DL
Mar 2024 31 7 0 0 DL
Jan 2024 31 2 0 0 DL
Dec 2023 55 7 0 0 DL
Nov 2023 48 3 0 0 DL

SMF–MSP seasonal on-time pattern

Best: April (95.0%) · weakest: December (81.4%)

80%85%90%95%100% JanMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 81.4%

Strongest calendar month

April

95.0% on-time · ~30 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

August

~56 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

December

81.4% on-time · ~53 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

0.5%

6 of 1,187 flights

Diversion Rate

0.2%

2 of 1,187 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

MSP - Minneapolis

Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Minneapolis, MN.

MSP on-time profile

Compare the two airports

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

Compare SMF vs MSP

Origin-hub reliability standing

Among SMF's stronger departures

SMF → MSP posts a 88.5% 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 #337 of 4927 (highest on-time = #1).

What the Data Says About SMF to MSP

Sacramento to Minneapolis (SMF to MSP) is one of the more dependable pairings in the BTS On-Time Performance dataset: a 88.5% on-time rate across 2,792 flights, with delays that do happen averaging 85.3 minutes. The corridor runs roughly 1,517 miles and is served by 1 carrier. Over the most recent 24 months, 6 of 1,187 flights were cancelled (0.5%) and 2 diverted (0.2%).

The monthly split is wide on this route: Aug 2025 posted the strongest performance at 98% on-time, while Jun 2024 came in at just 80% - a 18-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, SMF–MSP peaks in April at 95.0% on-time while August carries the heaviest traffic (~56 flights per month) ; the softest month is December at 81.4%, a 13.6-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does SMF to MSP rank among US routes by traffic? ▼
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, SMF to MSP ranks #3393 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 MSP? ▼
Flights from Sacramento to Minneapolis have a 88.5% on-time rate based on 2,792 flights. The average delay is 85.3 minutes. The best recent month was Aug 2025 with 98% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for SMF to MSP? ▼
Over the last 24 months, 0.5% of flights on this route were cancelled (6 of 1,187 flights) and 0.2% were diverted.
How far is the flight from SMF to MSP? ▼
The flight distance from Sacramento (SMF) to Minneapolis (MSP) is approximately 1,517 miles. This route is served by 1 carrier.
When is the best time to fly from SMF to MSP? ▼
The best recent month for on-time performance was Aug 2025 (98% on-time). The worst was Jun 2024 (80% on-time). Consider booking during months with historically better performance.

Airports on this route

SMF Airport

Sacramento
MSP Airport

Minneapolis
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–MSP data

SMF–MSP runs 9.5 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 MSP airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. SMF airport
  • If your dates flex, April (95.0% on-time) beats December (81.4%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 88.5% 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.