Best Time to Fly SMF to HOU: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
Sacramento International → William P Hobby
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
Over the last 12 months, 75.2% of Sacramento (SMF) to Houston (HOU) flights arrived on time (364 scheduled flights). That is 2.4 points below the national 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 (86% on time) and June the worst month (62%).
The cancellation rate was 0.6% (US average 1.8%).
SMF to HOU 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 | 75.2% | 35 min | 0.6% | 364 |
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly SMF to HOU
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 720 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5am–6am | 88.5% | 0.0% | 52 |
| 6am–7am | 94.4% | 0.0% | 90 |
| 7am–8am | 80.8% | 0.0% | 49 |
| 8am–9am | 90.0% | 0.0% | 30 |
| 9am–10am | 90.3% | 0.0% | 73 |
| 10am–11am | 86.4% | 2.2% | 45 |
| 11am–12pm | 76.4% | 0.0% | 107 |
| 12pm–1pm | 74.8% | 0.6% | 156 |
| 1pm–2pm | 65.1% | 1.1% | 89 |
| 2pm–3pm | Limited data | 29 | |
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 HOU
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) | Limited data | 30 | ||
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 70.5% | -12.3 pts | 0.0% | 123 |
| All other days | 82.8% | — | 0.5% | 555 |
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).