Best Time to Fly DFW to SMF: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
Dallas/Fort Worth International → Sacramento International
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
Over the last 12 months, 67.1% of Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) to Sacramento (SMF) flights arrived on time (1,631 scheduled flights). That is 10.6 points below the national average of 77.6%.
American Airlines was the only reporting airline with regular flights on this route.
Over 24 months, Tuesday was the most reliable day (72% on time) and June the worst month (50%).
The cancellation rate was 2.5% (US average 1.8%).
DFW 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Airlines | 67.1% | 76 min | 2.5% | 1,631 |
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly DFW to SMF
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 3,402 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7am–8am | Limited data | 2 | |
| 8am–9am | 85.3% | 1.7% | 706 |
| 10am–11am | Limited data | 1 | |
| 11am–12pm | 74.9% | 0.9% | 652 |
| 12pm–1pm | 80.6% | 5.3% | 76 |
| 2pm–3pm | 64.6% | 0.0% | 48 |
| 3pm–4pm | Limited data | 12 | |
| 4pm–5pm | 51.5% | 0.6% | 167 |
| 5pm–6pm | 60.4% | 2.9% | 520 |
| 6pm–7pm | 70.2% | 2.1% | 48 |
| 7pm–8pm | 48.3% | 2.0% | 150 |
| 8pm–9pm | 63.1% | 1.3% | 225 |
| 9pm–10pm | 66.1% | 2.8% | 457 |
| 10pm–11pm | 46.4% | 5.0% | 338 |
Best day of the week
24 months, by day of departure.
Best month to fly
24 months, by calendar month.
Holiday travel on DFW 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) | 65.6% | -4.8 pts | 0.0% | 64 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 68.8% | -1.5 pts | 2.8% | 143 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 56.3% | -14.1 pts | 1.7% | 637 |
| All other days | 70.4% | — | 2.4% | 2,558 |
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).