Itineraries flown on 20+ days in the Jun 6 – Jul 31, 2026 schedule · each leg’s record Aug 2025 – Jul 2026

The nonstop is quickest: JetBlue SMF → JFK (5h 24m), on time 7 times in 10. Delta via Atlanta (9h 00m) is more reliable, 89%, but takes 3h 36m longer.

Nonstops (seasonal or thin)


JetBlue	SMF	JFK	5h 24m	72%	4.2%	165	Flying now

Best connections, any airlines

Most reliable Quickest (80%+ on time)

Ranked by chance you reach New York on time. Total trip = scheduled departure to arrival, layover included (New York is 3 h ahead of Sacramento). Layovers up to 4 hours. Pick a connection for the details.


Southwest + Americantwo ticketsDetails →	SMF 17:50 → LAS 19:20WN 4116	3h 27m Las Vegas	LAS 22:47 → JFK 07:00 +1AA 2855	10h 10m	98%	93%
Southwest + Deltatwo ticketsDetails →	SMF 17:40 → DEN 21:00WN 670	2h 59m Denver	DEN 23:59 → JFK 05:48 +1DL 758	9h 08m	96%	90%
Delta Details →	SMF 22:00 → ATL 05:32DL 878	2h 12m Atlanta	ATL 07:44 → JFK 10:00 +1DL 2420	9h 00m	100%	89%
Southwest + Deltatwo ticketsDetails →	SMF 16:40 → PHX 18:35WN 3231	4h 00m Phoenix	PHX 22:35 → JFK 06:27 +1DL 548	10h 47m	100%	87%
Southwest + Deltatwo ticketsDetails →	SMF 18:05 → PDX 19:35WN 3813	3h 00m Portland	PDX 22:35 → JFK 06:55 +1DL 2139	9h 50m	96%	87%
American Details →	SMF 16:13 → PHX 18:16AA 6354 · flown by SkyWest	3h 34m Phoenix	PHX 21:50 → JFK 05:47 +1AA 1587	10h 34m	100%	85%
Delta Details →	SMF 18:55 → LAX 20:40DL 3712 · flown by SkyWest	3h 15m Los Angeles	LAX 23:55 → JFK 08:30 +1DL 915	10h 35m	100%	84%
Southwest + Deltatwo ticketsDetails →	SMF 16:40 → SAN 18:10WN 4292	3h 50m San Diego	SAN 22:00 → JFK 06:26 +1DL 709	10h 46m	100%	84%
Tight connection: often missed
American Details →	SMF 12:56 → PHX 14:50AA 2630	1h 01m Phoenix	PHX 15:51 → JFK 23:58AA 832	8h 02m	73%	55%

Same layover, different day-part

How often the first flight arrives too late to connect (45 min minimum), for one-ticket layovers of 45–80 minutes.

Morning

SEA · 1h 13m · leaves 06:13 0%

MSP · 1h 13m · leaves 06:15 5%

LAX · 50m · leaves 06:00 7%

Afternoon and evening

LAX · 1h 04m · leaves 21:05 9%

SLC · 58m · leaves 13:30 12%

DFW · 1h 08m · leaves 11:02 22%

Delays build through the day, so an afternoon first leg eats the layover. A short connection is fine early in the morning and a gamble later on.

Mixing airlines

One ticketMiss it and the airline rebooks you; bags go through. 45 min is enough.

Separate ticketsMiss it and you buy a new ticket. Re-check bags, clear security again: we require 90 min.

The table above includes two-ticket connections (marked “two tickets”), held to the 90-minute minimum. One ticket only →

Regional partners count as the airline that sells them: SkyWest flying Delta Connection is one Delta ticket.

How these are worked out. Makes the connection: share of the last year’s flights where the first flight arrived with at least 45 minutes to spare (90 on separate tickets). Arrives on time: first flight not cancelled × connection made × second flight not cancelled and arriving within 15 minutes. Not yet counted: the second flight also leaving late (which helps), gate-to-gate distance at the hub, and rebooking after a missed connection.

About this data: US DOT on-time records, Aug 2025 – Jul 2026, all US airlines; regional flights count under the airline that sells them. Schedules (which flights and connections exist, and their times) are as of Jun 6 – Jul 31, 2026; seasonal flights outside that window aren’t ranked. Rebuilt monthly. JSON