75% of flights from Honolulu to Sacramento arrived on time over the past 12 months. That is worse than the typical U.S. route. The 11 a.m. departures ran on time 85% of the time; the 2 p.m. ones 60%. Most reliable airline: Southwest Airlines (86%). 9% of flights arrived more than an hour late or not at all.
How late?
The on-time rate treats a flight 20 minutes late the same as one 5 hours late. Here's the split for HNL → SMF: when a flight was late, it was under 45 minutes late 55% of the time. About 1 in 11 flights landed an hour or more late, and 1 in 41 three hours or more; 0.3% were cancelled outright.
- On time or early75%
- 15–30 min late11%
- 30–60 min late4.7%
- 1–2 hours late4.2%
- 2–3 hours late2.1%
- 3+ hours late2.5%
- Diverted0.4%
- Cancelled0.3%
Share of all 730 scheduled flights, past 12 months, by arrival time against schedule.
By airline
| Airline | Flights | On time | Cancelled | Typical arrival | 1h+ late | Avg when late | Operated by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southwest Airlines | 365 | 86% | 0.3% | −4 min | 3.3% | +49 min | Southwest Airlines |
| Alaska Airlines | 243 | 63% | 0.4% | +8 min | 16.5% | +105 min | Alaska Airlines |
| Hawaiian Airlines | 122 | 65% | 0.0% | +8 min | 9.8% | +60 min | Hawaiian Airlines |
Airline = the name on the ticket. Regional flights (e.g. "Delta Connection") count under the ticketing airline, and the operator is listed.
Best time of day to fly
On-time rate by scheduled departure hour (local time at HNL). Delays build through the day as late planes knock on, so early flights usually do best.
By airline and hour
| Departs | Southwest Airlines | Alaska Airlines |
|---|---|---|
| 11 a.m. | 85% | — |
| noon | — | 66% |
By month
Each calendar month pooled over 2023–2026. Best: February (86%). Worst: April (73%).
By day of week
| Day | Flights | On time | Cancelled |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | 106 | 67% | 1.9% |
| Tuesday | 104 | 78% | 0.0% |
| Wednesday | 104 | 80% | 0.0% |
| Thursday | 104 | 72% | 0.0% |
| Friday | 104 | 77% | 0.0% |
| Saturday | 104 | 71% | 0.0% |
| Sunday | 104 | 77% | 0.0% |
Why flights were late
Share of delay minutes on flights 15+ minutes late, as reported to BTS by the airlines.
Cancellations: airline 2
Month by month
Not enough months with data to draw a trend.
Flight numbers on this route
Regular flights with at least 120 scheduled trips in the past year. Sorted by departure time.
| Flight | Departs | Flights | On time | Cancelled | Typical arrival | Operated by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AS 820 | 2:00 p.m. | 243 | 63% | 0.4% | +8 min | Alaska Airlines |
Questions
How often are flights from HNL to SMF on time?
75% of 730 scheduled flights from Honolulu, HI to Sacramento, CA arrived within 15 minutes of schedule between September 2025 and August 2026. 0.3% were cancelled.
What is the best time of day to fly HNL to SMF?
Flights scheduled to leave at 11 a.m. were the most reliable (85% on time). The 2 p.m. departures were the least (60%).
Which airline is most on time from HNL to SMF?
Southwest Airlines: 86% of its 365 flights on the route arrived on time. Alaska Airlines: 63%. Hawaiian Airlines: 65%.
What month has the most delays from HNL to SMF?
April (73% on time). The best month is February (86%), over 2023–2026.
Related
- SMF → HNL (return)
- Honolulu (HNL) delays by hour
- Flights into Sacramento (SMF)
- Southwest Airlines on-time record
- Alaska Airlines on-time record
- Hawaiian Airlines on-time record
- Connecting off this flight? Check the risk
Domestic flights by the airlines that report to the U.S. DOT, plus their regional partners. "On time" means arriving less than 15 minutes after schedule; cancelled and diverted flights count as not on time. Past performance is a guide, not a forecast. Method.