81% of flights from Sacramento to Honolulu arrived on time over the past 12 months. That is about the typical U.S. route. The 7 a.m. departures ran on time 84% of the time; the 8 a.m. ones 79%. Most reliable airline: Southwest Airlines (86%). 4% 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 SMF → HNL: when a flight was late, it was under 45 minutes late 71% of the time. About 1 in 29 flights landed an hour or more late, and 1 in 122 three hours or more; 0.1% were cancelled outright.
- On time or early81%
- 15–30 min late10%
- 30–60 min late5.2%
- 1–2 hours late1.8%
- 2–3 hours late0.8%
- 3+ hours late0.8%
- Diverted0.1%
- Cancelled0.1%
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% | 0.0% | −12 min | 2.2% | +44 min | Southwest Airlines |
| Alaska Airlines | 243 | 79% | 0.4% | −2 min | 3.7% | +68 min | Alaska Airlines |
| Hawaiian Airlines | 122 | 70% | 0.0% | +4 min | 6.6% | +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 SMF). 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 7 a.m. | — | 84% |
| 8 a.m. | 86% | — |
By month
Each calendar month pooled over 2023–2026. Best: June (87%). Worst: January (69%).
By day of week
| Day | Flights | On time | Cancelled |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | 106 | 79% | 0.0% |
| Tuesday | 104 | 83% | 1.0% |
| Wednesday | 104 | 83% | 0.0% |
| Thursday | 104 | 88% | 0.0% |
| Friday | 104 | 79% | 0.0% |
| Saturday | 104 | 75% | 0.0% |
| Sunday | 104 | 82% | 0.0% |
Why flights were late
Share of delay minutes on flights 15+ minutes late, as reported to BTS by the airlines.
Cancellations: airline 1
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 819 | 7:45 a.m. | 243 | 79% | 0.4% | −2 min | Alaska Airlines |
Questions
How often are flights from SMF to HNL on time?
81% of 730 scheduled flights from Sacramento, CA to Honolulu, HI arrived within 15 minutes of schedule between September 2025 and August 2026. 0.1% were cancelled.
What is the best time of day to fly SMF to HNL?
Flights scheduled to leave at 7 a.m. were the most reliable (84% on time). The 8 a.m. departures were the least (79%).
Which airline is most on time from SMF to HNL?
Southwest Airlines: 86% of its 365 flights on the route arrived on time. Alaska Airlines: 79%. Hawaiian Airlines: 70%.
What month has the most delays from SMF to HNL?
January (69% on time). The best month is June (87%), over 2023–2026.
Related
- HNL → SMF (return)
- Sacramento (SMF) delays by hour
- Flights into Honolulu (HNL)
- 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.