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Route · SMF → SNA · 2020–2025 BTS data

Sacramento to Santa Ana

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), SMF to SNA (Sacramento to Santa Ana) ranks #743 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

85.2%
On-time
+6.2 pts
vs US avg
50 min
Delay when late
13,446
Flights
#743 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

0.5%

Best Month

Sep 2024 92%

Worst Month

Oct 2025 78%

Distance

404 mi

Carriers

3

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 198 36 0 0 WN
Nov 2025 192 31 0 0 WN
Oct 2025 185 40 0 0 WN
Sep 2025 206 25 0 0 WN
Aug 2025 209 24 2 1 WN
Jul 2025 209 31 5 0 WN
Jun 2025 204 34 3 0 WN
May 2025 185 22 0 0 WN
Apr 2025 180 30 2 0 WN
Mar 2025 193 24 1 0 WN
Feb 2025 166 20 0 0 WN
Jan 2025 178 17 1 2 WN
Dec 2024 199 29 2 1 WN
Nov 2024 187 20 0 0 WN
Oct 2024 182 32 0 0 WN
Sep 2024 180 15 1 0 WN
Aug 2024 186 29 1 0 WN
Jul 2024 181 24 1 0 WN
Jun 2024 179 27 0 0 WN
May 2024 187 23 0 0 WN
Apr 2024 182 16 0 0 WN
Mar 2024 194 18 0 0 WN
Feb 2024 183 19 2 0 WN
Jan 2024 195 29 0 0 WN

SMF–SNA seasonal on-time pattern

Best: January (89.4%) · weakest: December (79.6%)

75%80%85%90% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 79.6%

Strongest calendar month

January

89.4% on-time · ~188 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

December

~199 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

December

79.6% on-time · ~199 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

0.5%

21 of 4,540 flights

Diversion Rate

0.1%

4 of 4,540 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

SNA - Santa Ana

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

SNA on-time profile

Compare the two airports

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

Compare SMF vs SNA

Origin-hub reliability standing

Among SMF's stronger departures

SMF → SNA posts a 85.2% 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 #1169 of 4927 (highest on-time = #1).

What the Data Says About SMF to SNA

Sacramento to Santa Ana (SMF to SNA) is one of the more dependable pairings in the BTS On-Time Performance dataset: a 85.2% on-time rate across 13,446 flights, with delays that do happen averaging 49.7 minutes. The corridor runs roughly 404 miles and is served by 3 carriers. Over the most recent 24 months, 21 of 4,540 flights were cancelled (0.5%) and 4 diverted (0.1%).

Monthly performance varies moderately here: Sep 2024 was the strongest month at 92% on-time versus Oct 2025 at 78%, a 13-point difference.

On the multi-year calendar, SMF–SNA peaks in January at 89.4% on-time while December carries the heaviest traffic (~199 flights per month) ; the softest month is December at 79.6%, a 9.8-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does SMF to SNA rank among US routes by traffic? ▼
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, SMF to SNA ranks #743 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 SNA? ▼
Flights from Sacramento to Santa Ana have a 85.2% on-time rate based on 13,446 flights. The average delay is 49.7 minutes. The best recent month was Sep 2024 with 92% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for SMF to SNA? ▼
Over the last 24 months, 0.5% of flights on this route were cancelled (21 of 4,540 flights) and 0.1% were diverted.
How far is the flight from SMF to SNA? ▼
The flight distance from Sacramento (SMF) to Santa Ana (SNA) is approximately 404 miles. This route is served by 3 carriers.
When is the best time to fly from SMF to SNA? ▼
The best recent month for on-time performance was Sep 2024 (92% on-time). The worst was Oct 2025 (78% on-time). Consider booking during months with historically better performance.

Airports on this route

SMF Airport

Sacramento
SNA Airport

Santa Ana
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–SNA data

SMF–SNA runs 6.2 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 SNA airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. SMF airport
  • If your dates flex, January (89.4% on-time) beats December (79.6%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 85.2% 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.