Best Time to Fly SMF to IAH: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
Sacramento International → George Bush Intercontinental/Houston
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
Over the last 12 months, 90.4% of Sacramento (SMF) to Houston (IAH) flights arrived on time (677 scheduled flights). That is 12.7 points above the national average of 77.6%.
United Airlines was the only reporting airline with regular flights on this route.
September has been the best month (96% on time) and Tuesday the weakest day of the week (87%).
0.1% of flights were cancelled, versus 1.8% nationally.
SMF to IAH 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlines | 90.4% | 73 min | 0.1% | 677 |
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly SMF to IAH
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 1,326 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5am–6am | 94.8% | 0.3% | 661 |
| 7am–8am | 93.3% | 0.0% | 60 |
| 11am–12pm | 91.7% | 0.0% | 169 |
| 1pm–2pm | 79.3% | 0.5% | 436 |
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 IAH
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 | 25 | ||
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | Limited data | 30 | ||
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 83.6% | -7.4 pts | 0.0% | 246 |
| All other days | 91.0% | — | 0.3% | 1,025 |
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).