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: Southwest SMF → DAL (3h 15m), on time 3 times in 4. Southwest via Phoenix (5h 30m) is more reliable, 87%, but takes 2h 15m longer.

Nonstops (seasonal or thin)


Southwest	SMF	DAL	3h 15m	75%	0.6%	660	Flying now

Best connections, one ticket

Most reliable Quickest (80%+ on time)

Ranked by chance you reach Dallas on time. Total trip = scheduled departure to arrival, layover included (Dallas is 2 h ahead of Sacramento). Layovers up to 4 hours. Pick a connection for the details.


Delta Details →	SMF 22:00 → ATL 05:32DL 878	2h 40m Atlanta	ATL 08:12 → DAL 09:24 +1DL 441	9h 26m	100%	87%
Southwest Details →	SMF 05:10 → PHX 07:05WN 3815	1h 10m Phoenix	PHX 08:15 → DAL 12:40WN 875	5h 30m	94%	87%
Southwest Details →	SMF 06:15 → LAS 07:40WN 2178	2h 58m Las Vegas	LAS 10:38 → DAL 15:25WN 2218	7h 11m	100%	82%
Southwest Details →	SMF 06:40 → BUR 07:55WN 4909	3h 50m Burbank	BUR 11:45 → DAL 16:50WN 2921	8h 10m	100%	81%
Southwest Details →	SMF 23:50 → MDW 05:45WN 3802	55m Chicago	MDW 06:40 → DAL 09:00 +1WN 3796	7h 10m	88%	81%
Southwest Details →	SMF 21:40 → BWI 05:35WN 3622	1h 15m Baltimore	BWI 06:50 → DAL 08:55 +1WN 4403	9h 15m	97%	80%
Southwest Details →	SMF 22:10 → MCO 06:15WN 3799	1h 35m Orlando	MCO 07:50 → DAL 09:25 +1WN 738	9h 15m	97%	76%
Southwest Details →	SMF 06:20 → LGB 07:50WN 3794	1h 40m Long Beach	LGB 09:30 → DAL 14:30WN 264	6h 10m	89%	76%
Tight connection: often missed
Southwest Details →	SMF 12:40 → SAN 14:10WN 2537	1h 05m San Diego	SAN 15:15 → DAL 20:22WN 3582	5h 43m	64%	33%
Southwest Details →	SMF 16:00 → DEN 19:20WN 1001	1h 10m Denver	DEN 20:30 → DAL 23:30WN 1523	5h 30m	74%	30%
Southwest Details →	SMF 13:40 → DEN 17:00WN 4105	50m Denver	DEN 17:50 → DAL 21:00WN 1521	5h 20m	34%	13%

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

BWI · 1h 15m · leaves 21:40 3%

MDW · 1h 10m · leaves 05:15 4%

LAS · 1h 00m · leaves 05:25 4%

Afternoon and evening

ATL · 1h 13m · leaves 12:18 7%

ONT · 1h 00m · leaves 14:00 17%

DEN · 50m · leaves 13:40 66%

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.


Delta DL 878 SMF 22:00 → ATL Southwest WN 4394 ATL 08:55 → DAL Connection details →	3h 23m	10h 05m	100%	79%
American AA 1867 SMF 06:00 → PHX Southwest WN 3255 PHX 10:55 → DAL Connection details →	3h 01m	7h 20m	98%	71%
United UA 1889 SMF 05:00 → DEN Southwest WN 1518 DEN 10:05 → DAL Connection details →	1h 43m	6h 10m	97%	71%

Rank all connections, any airlines →

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