Route on-time record
DEN to SMF: most on-time flights and the best time to fly
Denver (Denver International Airport) to Sacramento (Sacramento International Airport). 3,832 nonstop flights in Jun 2025 to May 2026, 74% arrived within 15 minutes and 0.4% were cancelled. The most reliable flight number was United 2149 at 8:00 AM.
Flying on a specific date? We’ll adjust for the month, the weekday and the forecast.
DEN → SMF
Denver to Sacramento: 3,832 nonstop flights a year
On time (12 months)
74%
Cancelled
0.4%
avg delay 16 min
Best time to leave
Before 9 AM
91% on time vs 54% after 9 PM
Most reliable airline
United
80% chance on time
Lowest nonstop fare seen in the next two months: $200 (Frontier 3665 on 2026-10-25). Fares open on our travel partner (Aviasales). Pick the flight number you chose here.
Most reliable nonstop flights
Ranked by the chance the flight operates and arrives within 15 minutes of schedule, from Jun 2025 to May 2026 records.
#1 · United 2149
8:00 AM → 9:41 AM2h 41m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-31.
94%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 94%
- Cancelled
- 0.3%
- Avg arrival delay
- 4 min
- Arrived on time 94% of the time (307 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Leaves in this route's most on-time window (Before 9 AM: 91% on time; After 9 PM: 54%).
- Departs outside DEN's trouble window (2 PM to 8 PM, when 79% of its 174 ground stops and delay programs started).
Strong track record · 307 flights
Find United 2149 fares Opens this date on Aviasales#2 · Southwest 2086
8:35 AM → 10:05 AM2h 30m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-31. Same departure also flew as Southwest 1807; its record covers all of them.
87%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 89%
- Cancelled
- 0.0%
- Avg arrival delay
- 7 min
- Arrived on time 89% of the time (87 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Never cancelled in 87 scheduled flights.
- Leaves in this route's most on-time window (Before 9 AM: 91% on time; After 9 PM: 54%).
- Departs outside DEN's trouble window (2 PM to 8 PM, when 79% of its 174 ground stops and delay programs started).
Moderate track record · 87 flights
Find Southwest 2086 fares Opens this date on Aviasales#3 · United 1415
11:55 AM → 1:37 PM2h 42m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-31.
85%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 85%
- Cancelled
- 0.0%
- Avg arrival delay
- 10 min
- Arrived on time 85% of the time (359 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Never cancelled in 359 scheduled flights.
- Departs outside DEN's trouble window (2 PM to 8 PM, when 79% of its 174 ground stops and delay programs started).
- 56% of its delay minutes came from the plane arriving late from an earlier flight.
Strong track record · 359 flights
Find United 1415 fares Opens this date on Aviasales#4 · United 662
1:35 PM → 3:10 PM2h 35m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-31.
84%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 91%
- Cancelled
- 0.0%
- Avg arrival delay
- 3 min
- Arrived on time 91% of the time (11 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Departs outside DEN's trouble window (2 PM to 8 PM, when 79% of its 174 ground stops and delay programs started).
- Short track record (11 flights), so its score leans on the airline's record at this hour.
Limited track record · 11 flights
Find United 662 fares Opens this date on Aviasales#5 · Frontier 3665
9:16 AM → 11:06 AM2h 42m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-30.
82%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 82%
- Cancelled
- 0.6%
- Avg arrival delay
- 11 min
- Arrived on time 82% of the time (162 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Departs outside DEN's trouble window (2 PM to 8 PM, when 79% of its 174 ground stops and delay programs started).
Moderate track record · 162 flights
Find Frontier 3665 fares Opens this date on Aviasales#6 · United 1208
4:10 PM → 5:48 PM2h 39m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-31.
81%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 81%
- Cancelled
- 0.5%
- Avg arrival delay
- 13 min
- Arrived on time 81% of the time (361 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Departs inside DEN's trouble window: 79% of its 174 ground stops and delay programs started between 2 PM and 8 PM.
- 56% of its delay minutes came from the plane arriving late from an earlier flight.
Strong track record · 361 flights
Find United 1208 fares Opens this date on Aviasales#7 · Southwest 1706
11:30 AM → 1:05 PM2h 35m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-29.
74%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 70%
- Cancelled
- 0.0%
- Avg arrival delay
- 20 min
- Arrived on time 70% of the time (23 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Departs outside DEN's trouble window (2 PM to 8 PM, when 79% of its 174 ground stops and delay programs started).
- Short track record (23 flights), so its score leans on the airline's record at this hour.
Limited track record · 23 flights
Find Southwest 1706 fares Opens this date on Aviasales#8 · Southwest 1571
11:50 AM → 1:25 PM2h 35m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-04-06.
73%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 67%
- Cancelled
- 0.0%
- Avg arrival delay
- 13 min
- Arrived on time 67% of the time (15 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Departs outside DEN's trouble window (2 PM to 8 PM, when 79% of its 174 ground stops and delay programs started).
- Short track record (15 flights), so its score leans on the airline's record at this hour.
Limited track record · 15 flights
Find Southwest 1571 fares Opens this date on Aviasales#9 · United 2132
7:15 PM → 8:56 PM2h 41m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-31.
71%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 71%
- Cancelled
- 0.3%
- Avg arrival delay
- 21 min
- Arrived on time 71% of the time (324 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Departs inside DEN's trouble window: 79% of its 174 ground stops and delay programs started between 2 PM and 8 PM.
- 55% of its delay minutes came from the plane arriving late from an earlier flight.
Strong track record · 324 flights
Find United 2132 fares Opens this date on Aviasales#10 · United 1602
8:41 PM → 10:15 PM2h 41m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-20.
71%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 72%
- Cancelled
- 0.5%
- Avg arrival delay
- 20 min
- Arrived on time 72% of the time (200 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Departs outside DEN's trouble window (2 PM to 8 PM, when 79% of its 174 ground stops and delay programs started).
- 56% of its delay minutes came from the plane arriving late from an earlier flight.
Strong track record · 200 flights
Find United 1602 fares Opens this date on Aviasales
Airlines on this route
Season-adjusted chance of operating and arriving on time.
- United Airlines80%
1,802 flights · 81% on time as flown · 0.3% cancel
- Frontier Airlines79%
164 flights · 82% on time as flown · 0.5% cancel
- Southwest Airlines66%
1,865 flights · 66% on time as flown · 0.4% cancel
On time by departure time
All airlines, scheduled local departure, Jun 2025 to May 2026.
- Before 9 AM91%
751 flights · avg delay 5 min
- 9 AM to noon82%
769 flights · avg delay 11 min
- Noon to 3 PM72%
475 flights · avg delay 16 min
- 3 to 6 PM73%
598 flights · avg delay 18 min
- 6 to 9 PM61%
937 flights · avg delay 25 min
- After 9 PM54%
302 flights · avg delay 30 min
Best day: Wednesday (78%). Worst: Thursday (72%).
On time by month
All airlines, Jun 2023 to May 2026. Several years per month, so one stormy season doesn't define a month. Travel-month estimates use this seasonal pattern.
What delays this route
- Late-arriving aircraft57%
- Airline (crew, maintenance, boarding)33%
- Air traffic control and airport volume9%
Share of delay minutes by the cause airlines report to the US DOT.
Historical odds, not a guarantee. Built from the US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics on-time reports (Jun 2025 to May 2026), FAA ground stop and delay program advisories, and 20 years of airport weather observations. Covers US airlines that report to the DOT; schedules are flights operated recently, so confirm times when you book. ATIS Alerts is not affiliated with any airline. Fares are what Aviasales travelers saw in recent searches (USD, one way, 1 adult), not live quotes; the partner site shows the current price. Fare links go to our travel partner and may earn us a commission at no cost to you. Affiliate disclosure
DEN to SMF questions
- What time of day is best to fly DEN to SMF?
- Before 9 AM: 91% of flights arrived on time, against 54% for departures after 9 PM. Later flights inherit delays from earlier ones, so the first departures of the day usually run best.
- Which airline is most on time from DEN to SMF?
- United, with a season-adjusted 80% chance of operating and arriving on time over 1,802 flights. The adjustment compares each airline with what the route did in the months it flew, so a carrier that skipped a stormy month gets no free credit.
- What is the worst month for delays on DEN to SMF?
- June (61% on time); the best was November (83%), averaged over Jun 2023 to May 2026.
- Is this a prediction for my flight?
- No. These are historical odds from the US DOT on-time reports, FAA advisories and airport weather records. Check your flight status and the FAA delay board on the day you fly.
More routes from DEN
- SMF to DEN (return)
- DEN to PHX 75%
- DEN to SLC 77%
- DEN to LAX 79%
- DEN to LAS 75%
- DEN to SEA 73%
- DEN to ORD 70%
- DEN to DFW 75%
- DEN to SAN 76%
- DEN to MSP 78%
- DEN to ATL 80%
- DEN to SFO 68%
- DEN to AUS 76%
Live status: FAA delays and ground stops