Los Angeles to Sacramento (LAX–SMF) — Airlines, Schedules & Connections
No flights match your filters.
No scheduled airline flights on this route — it's flown by charter / private operators (). No nonstop flights on this route. connecting options below.
Most recently operated nonstop flights — the month shown is when each was last scheduled. Most destinations remain reachable with a connection.
No discontinued nonstop flights on record for this route.
LAX–SMF is served by 5 airlines with nonstop service. Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines and United Airlines lead the route. The flight covers 373 miles in approximately 1h 33m. Beyond nonstop, 1-stop connecting options are also available.
Airline Landscape
| Airline | Freq/wk | Aircraft | Duration | Dep OTP | Alliance | Codeshares |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DL Delta Air Lines Also: AF, AM, CI, KL, LA, SK, VS, WS | 47 | 738, E75L, E7W | 1h28-1h36 | SkyTeam | AF, AM, CI, KL, LA, SK, VS, WS | |
| WN Southwest Airlines | 44 | 737, 738, 73H, 7M8, 7S7, B38M | 1h11-1h30 | – | – | |
| UA United Airlines Also: AC, AV, CM, LX, SQ, VA | 28 | 7M8, E75L, E7W | 1h30-1h36 | Star Alliance | AC, AV, CM, LX, SQ, VA | |
| AA American Airlines Also: AS, AY, EI, PD, QF, QR | 21 | CR7, E75, E75L | 1h33-1h36 | Oneworld | AS, AY, EI, PD, QF, QR | |
| F9 Frontier Also: Y4 | 10 | 32N, 32Q | 1h33 | – | Y4 |
Weekly Schedule Pattern
Connection Landscape
On-Time Performance
Other ways to reach Sacramento from Los Angeles
| Metric | LAX→SMF | LGB→SMF | BUR→SMF |
|---|---|---|---|
| Distance from LAX | – | 17 mi | 18 mi |
| Nonstop airlines | 5 | 2 | 4 |
| Weekly flights | 390 | 35 | 44 |
| Flight time | 1h 33m | 1h 20m | 1h 20m |
| Departure OTP | 79% | – | – |
Travel Essentials
LAX: PDT · SMF: PDT
When it's 6:00 PM in Los Angeles, it's 6:00 PM in Sacramento.
FlyAway bus runs from Van Nuys and Union Station ($9.75, 30–50 min depending on traffic). LA Metro C Line connects to Aviation/LAX station; a free shuttle covers the last mile to terminals. Ride-shares cost $20–50 from downtown. Long-term parking lots A/B are walkable; remote Lot E requires a shuttle.
LAX–SMF Quick Facts
Frequently Asked Questions
Los Angeles to Sacramento: California's Capital Corridor by Air
LAX-SMF is a high-frequency intra-California route with six competing carriers. Southwest leads with 5 to 7 daily nonstops. Delta, American, United, JetBlue, and Spirit all offer daily service. The 373-mile sector runs 1 hour 10 to 20 minutes. The route competes with a 5.5-hour drive on I-5. Government travel between Los Angeles and the state capital produces steady weekday demand. Legislative sessions from January through September create a built-in business travel cycle. The carrier diversity keeps fares low, with Spirit and Southwest setting the floor and legacy carriers competing on schedule and connectivity.
Multi-Carrier Competition
Six airlines on a 373-mile route is unusual and reflects the size of the LA-Sacramento market. The combined metro populations exceed 17 million, with Los Angeles County alone at over 10 million. Sacramento handles about 13 million annual passengers and is a mid-size airport with room to grow. Terminal A and B split operations by carrier. LAX's congestion and terminal sprawl make it the harder end of the trip for passengers. SMF is compact with short security lines and easy parking at $18 per day in the garage. The California High-Speed Rail project, if completed, would connect the two cities in about 2 hours 40 minutes, but current timelines remain uncertain. Until rail arrives, the air shuttle will remain the fastest option.