Houston to Sacramento (IAH–SMF) — Airlines, Schedules & Connections

IAH Airport Page →
1,607 mi airlines 18/wk
On-time Some delays Frequent delays
Flight Schedule 6 flights Verified 1h ago
Nonstop 1-Stop 2-Stop Hide separate tickets Hide overnight
  Flight Airline AC Dep Arr Dur OTP Sched  
UA1594
UA United
320
10:15 AM
CDT TC
12:38 PM
PDT
4h 23m
M T W T F S S
Prices
UA1730
UA United
320
10:17 AM
CDT TC
12:50 PM
PDT
4h 33m
M T W T F S S
Prices
UA1148
UA United
320
7:58 PM
CDT TC
10:30 PM
PDT
4h 32m
M T W T F S S
Prices
UA2863
UA United
320
5:00 AM
PDT TA
10:48 AM
CDT
3h 48m
M T W T F S S
Prices
UA1361
UA United
320
5:15 AM
PDT TA
10:59 AM
CDT
3h 44m
M T W T F S S
Prices
UA1949
UA United
738
11:28 AM
PDT TA
4:52 PM
CDT
3h 24m
M T W T F S S
Prices

No flights match your filters.

No nonstop flights on this route. connecting options below.

1-STOP
2-STOP Loading...
Houston to Sacramento
1 carrier, 18 flights/week nonstop.
1 Airlines 18 Flights/wk 1,607 mi 4h 23m nonstop -2h behind 42 1-stop hubs

IAH–SMF is served by 1 airline with nonstop service. United Airlines leads the route. The flight covers 1,607 miles in approximately 4h 23m. Beyond nonstop, 42 hubs offer 1-stop connections.

Airline Landscape

All carriers operating nonstop IAH–SMF service, compared side by side.
Airline Freq/wk Aircraft Duration Dep OTP Alliance Codeshares
UA United Airlines 18 320 4h23-4h33 78% Star Alliance
Aircraft on this route
320 Airbus A320 – UA
Alliance coverage
Star Alliance: UA (18 flights/wk, 100%)
OTP based on airport-level delay snapshots. Duration ranges reflect seasonal/directional variation.

Weekly Schedule Pattern

Nonstop flight frequency by day of week, IAH to SMF direction.
Mon
3
flights
Tue
3
flights
Wed
3
flights
Thu
3
flights
Fri
3
flights
Sat
1
flight
Sun
2
flights
Departure time distribution
12 AM6 AM12 PM6 PM12 AM
Morning departures
Afternoon/evening departures
3
Nonstop flights
18
Outbound / wk
21
Return / wk

Connection Landscape

Beyond nonstop. 1-stop and 2-stop options for IAH to SMF.
1-STOP
One-Stop Connections
42
Hubs
~5h
Fastest
~34h
Longest
Verified with published schedule alignment and minimum connection time.
2-STOP
Two-Stop Connections
2,726
Candidates
Two-stop connections loaded in the connections tab above.
Connections computed from published schedules with minimum connection time verification. Use the interactive explorer above the fold to filter by airline, tier, and layover time.

On-Time Performance

What to expect at each end of your journey.
Outbound
IAH → SMF
78%
Generally reliable. Most flights run on time.
Departing
78%
Arriving
77%
Return
SMF → IAH
63%
Moderate delays possible. Allow buffer time.
Departing
63%
Arriving
80%
OTP = percentage of flights arriving within 15 min of schedule. Based on airport-level delay snapshots. IAH delays → SMF delays →

Other ways to reach Sacramento from Houston

Nearby airports with service to Sacramento International Airport.
Metric IAH→SMF HOU→SMF AUS→SMF
Distance from IAH 24 mi 140 mi
Nonstop airlines 1 1 2
Weekly flights 18 14 15
Flight time 4h 23m 4h 5m 2h 17m
Departure OTP 78%
Airports within 200 miles of IAH with service to Sacramento International Airport.

Travel Essentials

Practical planning for this route.
Time Difference
-2h
Sacramento is 2 hours behind Houston.
IAH: CDT · SMF: PDT

When it's 6:00 PM in Houston, it's 4:00 PM in Sacramento.
Distance & Flight Time
1,607 mi / 2,586 km
Nonstop flight time is approximately 4h 23m to 4h 33m.
Getting to IAH

IAH has no direct rail link to downtown Houston. The IAH Express bus runs from Houston Amtrak/Greyhound station via Park & Ride to Terminal C (60–90 min, $1.25 with METRO Q card). This is the only transit option; Houston's rail network does not reach the airport.Taxis from downtown Houston cost $50–70 and take 40–60 minutes. Ride-hails (Uber, Lyft) are typically $35–55. IAH sits 23 miles north of downtown on the North Freeway (I-45); traffic is heavy during morning and evening rush. Remote economy parking lots serve all terminals via shuttle.

IAH–SMF Quick Facts

Key statistics for the Houston to Sacramento route.
Route details
Distance1,607 mi / 2,586 km
Flight time4h 23m to 4h 33m
Time difference-2 hours
Airlines (nonstop)1
Weekly flights18 out / 21 return
1-stop connections42 hubs
Origin: IAH
IATA / ICAOIAH / KIAH
TimezoneAmerica/Indiana/Tell_City
Passengers/yr46.7M
Elevation97 ft / 30 m
Destination: SMF
IATA / ICAOSMF / KSMF
TimezoneAmerica/Los_Angeles
Passengers/yr13.4M
Elevation27 ft / 8 m

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about IAH to SMF flights.
Nonstop flights from George Bush Intercontinental Airport to Sacramento International Airport take approximately 4h 23m to 4h 33m. The route covers 1,607 miles.
1 airline operates nonstop service: United Airlines.
There are approximately 18 nonstop flights per week from IAH to SMF. The return direction has about 21 weekly flights.
Yes, 1-stop connections are available through FAT, OKC, SBA, BUR, MEM, DAL, MCI, CVG, PBI, SJD, JFK, DTW, MSP, ATL, GDL, AUS, CLT, DEN, PHX, SLC, SFO, BWI, EWR, DFW, MDW, PDX, MEX, LAX, LAS, ORD, SNA, SAN, ONT, SEA, PSP, MCO, STL, YVR, BNA, IAD, MLM and HNL. These options provide additional schedule flexibility.
Sacramento is 2 hours behind Houston.
Yes, return flights from SMF to IAH are available. Use the direction toggle at the top to view the return schedule.
Nearby alternatives include HOU and AUS. See the Alternatives section for a full comparison.
Click the 'Search Flights' button to check availability and prices on Google Flights. You can also compare airlines and schedules on this page to find the best option.
See the On-Time Performance section for the latest delay data at both airports. This shows departure and arrival reliability to help you plan.
Route data is updated regularly from official airline schedules. On-time performance data comes from recent airport delay snapshots.

Flights from IAH to SMF

George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) and Sacramento International Airport (SMF) are connected by nonstop service from United Airlines. With 18 weekly departures, this is a well served route.

IAH to SMF Flight Duration and Schedule

Nonstop flight time from IAH to SMF ranges from 4 hours 23 minutes to 4 hours 33 minutes. The route covers a distance of 1,607 miles (2,586 km). There are approximately 18 weekly flights outbound and 21 return, totaling 39 flights per week in both directions.

Connecting Options and Alternatives

42 one-stop connections are available, with the fastest taking approximately 5 hours via FAT. Two-stop connections are also available via intermediate hubs. Nearby alternative airports include Houston (HOU) and Austin (AUS).