Route on-time record
LAX to SMF: most on-time flights and the best time to fly
Los Angeles (Los Angeles International Airport) to Sacramento (Sacramento International Airport). 5,600 nonstop flights in Jun 2025 to May 2026, 85% arrived within 15 minutes and 0.4% were cancelled. The most reliable flight number was SkyWest 3822 at 7:00 AM.
Flying on a specific date? We’ll adjust for the month, the weekday and the forecast.
LAX → SMF
Los Angeles to Sacramento: 5,600 nonstop flights a year
On time (12 months)
85%
Cancelled
0.4%
avg delay 10 min
Best time to leave
Before 9 AM
93% on time vs 74% after 9 PM
Most reliable airline
SkyWest
87% chance on time
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 · SkyWest 3822 · sold as United Express, Delta Connection, American Eagle or Alaska
7:00 AM → 8:29 AM1h 29m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-31.
93%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 93%
- Cancelled
- 0.4%
- Avg arrival delay
- 5 min
- Arrived on time 93% of the time (249 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Leaves in this route's most on-time window (Before 9 AM: 93% on time; After 9 PM: 74%).
- Departs outside LAX's trouble window (4 PM to 10 PM, when 53% of its 15 ground stops and delay programs started).
Strong track record · 249 flights
Find 7:00 AM flight fares Opens this date on Aviasales#2 · SkyWest 3755 · sold as United Express, Delta Connection, American Eagle or Alaska
9:18 AM → 10:52 AM1h 33m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-31. Same departure also flew as SkyWest 5537, 6396; its record covers all of them.
92%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 93%
- Cancelled
- 0.5%
- Avg arrival delay
- 7 min
- Arrived on time 93% of the time (569 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Departs outside LAX's trouble window (4 PM to 10 PM, when 53% of its 15 ground stops and delay programs started).
Strong track record · 569 flights
Find 9:18 AM flight fares Opens this date on Aviasales#3 · Southwest 1049
6:35 AM → 8:00 AM1h 25m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-31. Same departure also flew as Southwest 443; its record covers all of them.
91%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 91%
- Cancelled
- 0.0%
- Avg arrival delay
- 9 min
- Arrived on time 91% of the time (88 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Never cancelled in 88 scheduled flights.
- Leaves in this route's most on-time window (Before 9 AM: 93% on time; After 9 PM: 74%).
- Departs outside LAX's trouble window (4 PM to 10 PM, when 53% of its 15 ground stops and delay programs started).
Moderate track record · 88 flights
Find Southwest 1049 fares Opens this date on Aviasales#4 · SkyWest 6348 · sold as United Express, Delta Connection, American Eagle or Alaska
8:00 AM → 9:36 AM1h 36m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-31.
90%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 82%
- Cancelled
- 0.0%
- Avg arrival delay
- 6 min
- Arrived on time 82% of the time (11 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Leaves in this route's most on-time window (Before 9 AM: 93% on time; After 9 PM: 74%).
- Departs outside LAX's trouble window (4 PM to 10 PM, when 53% of its 15 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 8:00 AM flight fares Opens this date on Aviasales#5 · SkyWest 6346 · sold as United Express, Delta Connection, American Eagle or Alaska
5:25 PM → 6:58 PM1h 33m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-31.
90%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 91%
- Cancelled
- 0.0%
- Avg arrival delay
- 2 min
- Arrived on time 91% of the time (11 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Departs inside LAX's trouble window: 53% of its 15 ground stops and delay programs started between 4 PM and 10 PM.
- Short track record (11 flights), so its score leans on the airline's record at this hour.
Limited track record · 11 flights
Find 5:25 PM flight fares Opens this date on Aviasales#6 · SkyWest 5858 · sold as United Express, Delta Connection, American Eagle or Alaska
4:16 PM → 5:53 PM1h 37m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-31.
89%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 89%
- Cancelled
- 0.0%
- Avg arrival delay
- 5 min
- Arrived on time 89% of the time (129 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Never cancelled in 129 scheduled flights.
- Departs inside LAX's trouble window: 53% of its 15 ground stops and delay programs started between 4 PM and 10 PM.
Moderate track record · 129 flights
Find 4:16 PM flight fares Opens this date on Aviasales#7 · United 1949
9:00 AM → 10:33 AM1h 33m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-20.
89%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 87%
- Cancelled
- 0.0%
- Avg arrival delay
- 5 min
- Arrived on time 87% of the time (46 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Never cancelled in 46 scheduled flights.
- Departs outside LAX's trouble window (4 PM to 10 PM, when 53% of its 15 ground stops and delay programs started).
- Short track record (46 flights), so its score leans on the airline's record at this hour.
Limited track record · 46 flights
Find United 1949 fares Opens this date on Aviasales#8 · SkyWest 5713 · sold as United Express, Delta Connection, American Eagle or Alaska
12:45 PM → 2:22 PM1h 37m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-04-29.
88%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 90%
- Cancelled
- 0.0%
- Avg arrival delay
- 10 min
- Arrived on time 90% of the time (20 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Departs outside LAX's trouble window (4 PM to 10 PM, when 53% of its 15 ground stops and delay programs started).
- 96% of its delay minutes came from the plane arriving late from an earlier flight.
- Short track record (20 flights), so its score leans on the airline's record at this hour.
Limited track record · 20 flights
Find 12:45 PM flight fares Opens this date on Aviasales#9 · Southwest 801
10:15 AM → 11:45 AM1h 30m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-04-05.
88%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 100%
- Cancelled
- 0.0%
- Avg arrival delay
- 0 min
- Arrived on time 100% of the time (10 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Departs outside LAX's trouble window (4 PM to 10 PM, when 53% of its 15 ground stops and delay programs started).
- Short track record (10 flights), so its score leans on the airline's record at this hour.
Limited track record · 10 flights
Find Southwest 801 fares Opens this date on Aviasales#10 · SkyWest 3812 · sold as United Express, Delta Connection, American Eagle or Alaska
12:00 PM → 1:29 PM1h 29m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-31.
88%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 88%
- Cancelled
- 0.0%
- Avg arrival delay
- 7 min
- Arrived on time 88% of the time (365 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Never cancelled in 365 scheduled flights.
- Departs outside LAX's trouble window (4 PM to 10 PM, when 53% of its 15 ground stops and delay programs started).
Strong track record · 365 flights
Find 12:00 PM flight fares Opens this date on Aviasales
Airlines on this route
Season-adjusted chance of operating and arriving on time.
- SkyWest Airlines (sold as United Express, Delta Connection, American Eagle or Alaska)87%
3,492 flights · 88% on time as flown · 0.4% cancel
- United Airlines85%
201 flights · 84% on time as flown · 0.2% cancel
- Frontier Airlines85%
180 flights · 85% on time as flown · 1.1% cancel
- Southwest Airlines80%
1,603 flights · 80% on time as flown · 0.2% cancel
- Delta Air Lines67%
124 flights · 62% on time as flown · 0.6% cancel
On time by departure time
All airlines, scheduled local departure, Jun 2025 to May 2026.
- Before 9 AM93%
1,082 flights · avg delay 5 min
- 9 AM to noon90%
961 flights · avg delay 8 min
- Noon to 3 PM84%
887 flights · avg delay 9 min
- 3 to 6 PM87%
1,101 flights · avg delay 7 min
- 6 to 9 PM77%
1,049 flights · avg delay 19 min
- After 9 PM74%
520 flights · avg delay 18 min
Best day: Tuesday (90%). Worst: Sunday (83%).
Smarter routing
Nearby airports that run more on time
LGB → SMF 88% chance on time
Long Beach International Airport to Sacramento International Airport · 1,917 flights a year · 17 mi from your airports · yours: 85%
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
- Airline (crew, maintenance, boarding)47%
- Late-arriving aircraft38%
- Severe weather10%
- Air traffic control and airport volume6%
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
LAX to SMF questions
- What time of day is best to fly LAX to SMF?
- Before 9 AM: 93% of flights arrived on time, against 74% 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 LAX to SMF?
- SkyWest, with a season-adjusted 87% chance of operating and arriving on time over 3,492 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 LAX to SMF?
- June (83% on time); the best was September (89%), 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 LAX
- SMF to LAX (return)
- LAX to SFO 68%
- LAX to JFK 79%
- LAX to LAS 77%
- LAX to DEN 82%
- LAX to PHX 81%
- LAX to SEA 85%
- LAX to ORD 77%
- LAX to DFW 75%
- LAX to HNL 77%
- LAX to IAH 84%
- LAX to ATL 76%
- LAX to EWR 79%
Live status: FAA delays and ground stops