Best Time to Fly DAL to SMF: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
Dallas Love Field → Sacramento International
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
660 flights were scheduled from Dallas (DAL) to Sacramento (SMF) in the last 12 months, and 70.4% of those that flew arrived on time, 7.2 points below the US average of 77.6%.
Southwest Airlines was the only reporting airline with regular flights on this route.
Over 24 months, Saturday was the most reliable day (79% on time) and June the worst month (56%).
The cancellation rate was 0.6% (US average 1.8%).
DAL to SMF on-time performance by airline
Last 12 months. Airlines with fewer than 30 completed flights are marked “limited data”.
| Airline | On time | Avg delay when late | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southwest Airlines | 70.4% | 51 min | 0.6% | 660 |
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly DAL to SMF
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 1,336 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6am–7am | Limited data | 5 | |
| 7am–8am | 85.7% | 0.0% | 84 |
| 8am–9am | 91.9% | 0.0% | 160 |
| 9am–10am | 86.3% | 0.0% | 249 |
| 10am–11am | 94.2% | 1.9% | 53 |
| 11am–12pm | 84.2% | 0.0% | 57 |
| 12pm–1pm | Limited data | 7 | |
| 1pm–2pm | Limited data | 5 | |
| 2pm–3pm | Limited data | 7 | |
| 4pm–5pm | 81.0% | 1.2% | 80 |
| 5pm–6pm | Limited data | 19 | |
| 6pm–7pm | 76.0% | 0.0% | 75 |
| 7pm–8pm | 58.3% | 1.8% | 110 |
| 8pm–9pm | 59.2% | 0.4% | 278 |
| 9pm–10pm | 52.6% | 2.1% | 97 |
| 10pm–11pm | 36.2% | 6.0% | 50 |
Best day of the week
24 months, by day of departure.
Best month to fly
24 months, by calendar month.
Holiday travel on DAL to SMF
On-time arrivals during holiday periods compared with all other days, last 24 months.
| Period | On time | vs other days | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thanksgiving week (Tue before to Mon after) | Limited data | 26 | ||
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 58.3% | -18.1 pts | 0.0% | 60 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 68.8% | -7.7 pts | 1.2% | 243 |
| All other days | 76.5% | — | 0.9% | 1,007 |
Monthly on-time trend
On-time arrival % each month, with the 12-month US average for reference.
What causes delays on this route
Share of reported delay minutes, last 12 months (BTS cause categories).