Route on-time record
SMF to DEN: most on-time flights and the best time to fly
Sacramento (Sacramento International Airport) to Denver (Denver International Airport). 3,827 nonstop flights in Jun 2025 to May 2026, 82% arrived within 15 minutes and 0.4% were cancelled. The most reliable flight number was United 1889 at 5:00 AM.
Flying on a specific date? We’ll adjust for the month, the weekday and the forecast.
SMF → DEN
Sacramento to Denver: 3,827 nonstop flights a year
On time (12 months)
82%
Cancelled
0.4%
avg delay 12 min
Best time to leave
Before 9 AM
94% on time vs 69% 3 to 6 PM
Most reliable airline
United
87% chance on time
Lowest nonstop fare seen in the next two months: $231 (Frontier 3666 on 2026-10-22). 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 1889
5:00 AM → 8:28 AM2h 28m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-31.
96%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 97%
- Cancelled
- 0.3%
- Avg arrival delay
- 3 min
- Arrived on time 97% of the time (324 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Leaves in this route's most on-time window (Before 9 AM: 94% on time; 3 to 6 PM: 69%).
Strong track record · 324 flights
Find United 1889 fares Opens this date on Aviasales#2 · United 2285
9:00 AM → 12:28 PM2h 27m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-31.
94%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 95%
- Cancelled
- 0.6%
- Avg arrival delay
- 6 min
- Arrived on time 95% of the time (325 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
Strong track record · 325 flights
Find United 2285 fares Opens this date on Aviasales#3 · Southwest 236
6:20 AM → 9:40 AM2h 20m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-31.
90%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 96%
- Cancelled
- 0.0%
- Avg arrival delay
- 3 min
- Arrived on time 96% of the time (55 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Never cancelled in 55 scheduled flights.
- Leaves in this route's most on-time window (Before 9 AM: 94% on time; 3 to 6 PM: 69%).
- Short track record (55 flights), so its score leans on the airline's record at this hour.
Limited track record · 55 flights
Find Southwest 236 fares Opens this date on Aviasales#4 · United 1023
10:50 AM → 2:17 PM2h 27m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-31.
88%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 82%
- Cancelled
- 0.0%
- Avg arrival delay
- 36 min
- Arrived on time 82% of the time (11 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Lands inside DEN's trouble window: 79% of its 174 ground stops and delay programs started between 2 PM and 8 PM.
- Short track record (11 flights), so its score leans on the airline's record at this hour.
Limited track record · 11 flights
Find United 1023 fares Opens this date on Aviasales#5 · Southwest 478
5:40 AM → 9:00 AM2h 20m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-04-06.
87%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 85%
- Cancelled
- 0.0%
- Avg arrival delay
- 5 min
- Arrived on time 85% of the time (33 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Never cancelled in 33 scheduled flights.
- Leaves in this route's most on-time window (Before 9 AM: 94% on time; 3 to 6 PM: 69%).
- Short track record (33 flights), so its score leans on the airline's record at this hour.
Limited track record · 33 flights
Find Southwest 478 fares Opens this date on Aviasales#6 · United 566
4:00 PM → 7:25 PM2h 25m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-31.
86%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 89%
- Cancelled
- 0.0%
- Avg arrival delay
- 7 min
- Arrived on time 89% of the time (218 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Never cancelled in 218 scheduled flights.
- Leaves in this route's least on-time window (3 to 6 PM: 69% on time; Before 9 AM: 94%).
- Lands inside DEN's trouble window: 79% of its 174 ground stops and delay programs started between 2 PM and 8 PM.
Strong track record · 218 flights
Find United 566 fares Opens this date on Aviasales#7 · Southwest 4329
10:40 AM → 2:00 PM2h 20m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-30.
85%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 89%
- Cancelled
- 0.0%
- Avg arrival delay
- 4 min
- Arrived on time 89% of the time (47 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Never cancelled in 47 scheduled flights.
- Lands inside DEN's trouble window: 79% of its 174 ground stops and delay programs started between 2 PM and 8 PM.
- Short track record (47 flights), so its score leans on the airline's record at this hour.
Limited track record · 47 flights
Find Southwest 4329 fares Opens this date on Aviasales#8 · United 1961
1:00 PM → 4:28 PM2h 26m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-31. Same departure also flew as United 549; its record covers all of them.
83%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 86%
- Cancelled
- 0.0%
- Avg arrival delay
- 18 min
- Arrived on time 86% of the time (88 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Never cancelled in 88 scheduled flights.
- Lands inside DEN's trouble window: 79% of its 174 ground stops and delay programs started between 2 PM and 8 PM.
- 81% of its delay minutes came from the plane arriving late from an earlier flight.
Moderate track record · 88 flights
Find United 1961 fares Opens this date on Aviasales#9 · Southwest 142
10:50 AM → 2:05 PM2h 15m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-04-06.
83%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 86%
- Cancelled
- 0.0%
- Avg arrival delay
- 11 min
- Arrived on time 86% of the time (28 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Lands inside DEN's trouble window: 79% of its 174 ground stops and delay programs started between 2 PM and 8 PM.
- Short track record (28 flights), so its score leans on the airline's record at this hour.
Limited track record · 28 flights
Find Southwest 142 fares Opens this date on Aviasales#10 · Frontier 3666
11:28 AM → 2:58 PM2h 30m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-30.
81%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 82%
- Cancelled
- 0.6%
- Avg arrival delay
- 14 min
- Arrived on time 82% of the time (162 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Lands inside DEN's trouble window: 79% of its 174 ground stops and delay programs started between 2 PM and 8 PM.
- 54% of its delay minutes came from the plane arriving late from an earlier flight.
Moderate track record · 162 flights
Find Frontier 3666 fares Opens this date on Aviasales
Airlines on this route
Season-adjusted chance of operating and arriving on time.
- United Airlines87%
1,802 flights · 87% on time as flown · 0.5% cancel
- Frontier Airlines81%
164 flights · 82% on time as flown · 0.5% cancel
- Southwest Airlines76%
1,861 flights · 76% on time as flown · 0.3% cancel
On time by departure time
All airlines, scheduled local departure, Jun 2025 to May 2026.
- Before 9 AM94%
1,237 flights · avg delay 4 min
- 9 AM to noon89%
574 flights · avg delay 7 min
- Noon to 3 PM74%
930 flights · avg delay 15 min
- 3 to 6 PM69%
564 flights · avg delay 22 min
- 6 to 9 PM71%
522 flights · avg delay 16 min
Best day: Tuesday (85%). Worst: Friday (81%).
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 aircraft40%
- Air traffic control and airport volume35%
- Airline (crew, maintenance, boarding)24%
- Severe weather1%
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
SMF to DEN questions
- What time of day is best to fly SMF to DEN?
- Before 9 AM: 94% of flights arrived on time, against 69% for departures 3 to 6 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 SMF to DEN?
- United, with a season-adjusted 87% 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 SMF to DEN?
- July (75% on time); the best was October (91%), 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 SMF
- DEN to SMF (return)
- SMF to LAX 86%
- SMF to SAN 74%
- SMF to SEA 82%
- SMF to LAS 80%
- SMF to PHX 82%
- SMF to BUR 85%
- SMF to SNA 84%
- SMF to SLC 88%
- SMF to ONT 85%
- SMF to PDX 82%
- SMF to LGB 86%
- SMF to DFW 80%
Live status: FAA delays and ground stops