Best Time to Fly SMF to CLT: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
Sacramento International → Charlotte Douglas International
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
Over the last 12 months, 88.1% of Sacramento (SMF) to Charlotte (CLT) flights arrived on time (429 scheduled flights). That is 10.5 points above the national average of 77.6%.
American Airlines was the only reporting airline with regular flights on this route.
January has been the best month (94% on time) and Sunday the weakest day of the week (80%).
1.9% of flights were cancelled, versus 1.8% nationally.
SMF to CLT 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 | 88.1% | 111 min | 1.9% | 429 |
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly SMF to CLT
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 840 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5am–6am | 88.9% | 4.0% | 75 |
| 6am–7am | Limited data | 1 | |
| 8am–9am | Limited data | 14 | |
| 11am–12pm | Limited data | 1 | |
| 12pm–1pm | 97.0% | 0.0% | 33 |
| 1pm–2pm | 63.0% | 4.2% | 48 |
| 9pm–10pm | Limited data | 28 | |
| 10pm–11pm | 87.6% | 1.6% | 616 |
| 11pm–12am | Limited data | 24 | |
Best day of the week
24 months, by day of departure.
Best month to fly
24 months, by calendar month.
Holiday travel on SMF to CLT
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 | 12 | ||
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 81.0% | -7.6 pts | 0.0% | 42 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 82.2% | -6.4 pts | 2.8% | 179 |
| All other days | 88.6% | — | 1.8% | 607 |
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).