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Route · SMF → PHX · 2020–2025 BTS data

Sacramento to Phoenix

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), SMF to PHX (Sacramento to Phoenix) ranks #357 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

85.4%
On-time
+6.4 pts
vs US avg
75 min
Delay when late
19,487
Flights
#357 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

0.4%

Best Month

Nov 2024 91%

Worst Month

Oct 2025 74%

Distance

647 mi

Carriers

27

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 346 60 2 0 WN,AA,MQ,OO
Nov 2025 330 79 5 0 OO,MQ,AA,WN
Oct 2025 280 72 1 0 AA,WN,MQ
Sep 2025 241 31 5 2 MQ,WN,AA
Aug 2025 264 37 1 1 AA,OO,WN
Jul 2025 315 65 1 1 AA,OO,WN
Jun 2025 315 73 0 0 AA,OO,WN
May 2025 352 67 2 0 AA,OO,WN,MQ
Apr 2025 346 41 3 1 MQ,OO,WN,AA
Mar 2025 351 59 2 0 AA,OO,WN,MQ
Feb 2025 279 27 0 0 AA,OO,WN,MQ
Jan 2025 288 29 1 0 AA,OO,WN,MQ
Dec 2024 322 44 0 0 AA,MQ,OO,WN
Nov 2024 307 29 1 1 OO,WN,AA
Oct 2024 324 32 0 0 MQ,OO,WN,AA
Sep 2024 294 39 0 0 WN,OO,AA,MQ
Aug 2024 306 46 1 1 AA,WN,OO
Jul 2024 285 51 0 1 AA,MQ,WN
Jun 2024 281 48 0 1 AA,MQ,OO,WN
May 2024 334 76 0 0 AA,MQ,OO,WN
Apr 2024 329 38 1 0 AA,MQ,OO,WN
Mar 2024 316 39 0 0 AA,MQ,OO,WN
Feb 2024 265 31 1 1 AA,MQ,OO,WN
Jan 2024 294 39 1 0 AA,MQ,WN,OO

SMF–PHX seasonal on-time pattern

Best: April (88.4%) · weakest: July (79.6%)

78%80%82%84%86%88%90% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 84.5%

Strongest calendar month

April

88.4% on-time · ~282 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

March

~292 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

July

79.6% on-time · ~272 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

0.4%

28 of 7,364 flights

Diversion Rate

0.1%

10 of 7,364 flights

Origin-hub reliability standing

Among SMF's stronger departures

SMF → PHX posts a 85.4% 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 #1105 of 4927 (highest on-time = #1).

What the Data Says About SMF to PHX

Sacramento to Phoenix (SMF to PHX) is one of the more dependable pairings in the BTS On-Time Performance dataset: a 85.4% on-time rate across 19,487 flights, with delays that do happen averaging 75.1 minutes. The corridor runs roughly 647 miles and is served by 27 carriers. Over the most recent 24 months, 28 of 7,364 flights were cancelled (0.4%) and 10 diverted (0.1%).

The monthly split is wide on this route: Nov 2024 posted the strongest performance at 91% on-time, while Oct 2025 came in at just 74% - a 16-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, SMF–PHX peaks in April at 88.4% on-time while March carries the heaviest traffic (~292 flights per month) ; the softest month is July at 79.6%, a 8.8-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does SMF to PHX rank among US routes by traffic?
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, SMF to PHX ranks #357 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 PHX?
Flights from Sacramento to Phoenix have a 85.4% on-time rate based on 19,487 flights. The average delay is 75.1 minutes. The best recent month was Nov 2024 with 91% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for SMF to PHX?
Over the last 24 months, 0.4% of flights on this route were cancelled (28 of 7,364 flights) and 0.1% were diverted.
How far is the flight from SMF to PHX?
The flight distance from Sacramento (SMF) to Phoenix (PHX) is approximately 647 miles. This route is served by 27 carriers.
When is the best time to fly from SMF to PHX?
The best recent month for on-time performance was Nov 2024 (91% on-time). The worst was Oct 2025 (74% on-time). Consider booking during months with historically better performance.

Airports on this route

Data source

Data Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), On-Time Performance Data. Statistics reflect cumulative performance across all available reporting periods.

Using SMF–PHX data

SMF–PHX runs 6.4 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 PHX airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. SMF airport
  • If your dates flex, April (88.4% on-time) beats July (79.6%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 85.4% 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.