Sacramento to Detroit (SMF–DTW) — Airlines, Schedules & Connections

SMF Airport Page →
2,008 mi airlines 7/wk
On-time Some delays Frequent delays
Flight Schedule 3 flights Verified 10h ago
Nonstop 1-Stop 2-Stop Hide separate tickets Hide overnight
  Flight Airline AC Dep Arr Dur OTP Sched  
DL2180
DL Delta
739
11:06 PM
PDT TA
6:20 AM+1
EDT
4h 14m
M T W T F S S
Prices
DL2180
DL Delta
739
7:50 PM
EDT TM
9:55 PM
PDT
5h 5m
M T W T F S S
Prices
AF2880
AF Air France
739
7:57 PM
EDT TM
9:55 PM
PDT
4h 58m
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...
Sacramento to Detroit
1 carrier, 7 flights/week nonstop.
1 Airlines 7 Flights/wk 2,008 mi 4h 14m nonstop +3h ahead 35 1-stop hubs

SMF–DTW is served by 1 airline with nonstop service. Delta Air Lines leads the route. The flight covers 2,008 miles in approximately 4h 14m. Beyond nonstop, 35 hubs offer 1-stop connections.

Airline Landscape

All carriers operating nonstop SMF–DTW service, compared side by side.
Airline Freq/wk Aircraft Duration Dep OTP Alliance Codeshares
DL Delta Air Lines 7 739 4h14 75% SkyTeam
Aircraft on this route
739 Boeing 737-900 – DL
Alliance coverage
SkyTeam: DL (7 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, SMF to DTW direction.
Mon
1
flight
Tue
1
flight
Wed
1
flight
Thu
1
flight
Fri
1
flight
Sat
1
flight
Sun
1
flight
Departure time distribution
12 AM6 AM12 PM6 PM12 AM
Morning departures
Afternoon/evening departures
1
Nonstop flights
7
Outbound / wk
14
Return / wk

Connection Landscape

Beyond nonstop. 1-stop and 2-stop options for SMF to DTW.
1-STOP
One-Stop Connections
35
Hubs
~5h
Fastest
~22h
Longest
Verified with published schedule alignment and minimum connection time.
2-STOP
Two-Stop Connections
2,137
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
SMF → DTW
75%
Generally reliable. Most flights run on time.
Departing
75%
Arriving
100%
Return
DTW → SMF
100%
Generally reliable. Most flights run on time.
Departing
100%
Arriving
90%
OTP = percentage of flights arriving within 15 min of schedule. Based on airport-level delay snapshots. SMF delays → DTW delays →

Other ways to reach Detroit from Sacramento

Nearby airports with service to Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport.
Metric SMF→DTW SFO→DTW
Distance from SMF 86 mi
Nonstop airlines 1 3
Weekly flights 7 57
Flight time 4h 14m 4h 23m
Departure OTP 75%
Airports within 200 miles of SMF with service to Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport.

Travel Essentials

Practical planning for this route.
Time Difference
+3h
Detroit is 3 hours ahead of Sacramento.
SMF: PDT · DTW: EDT

When it's 6:00 PM in Sacramento, it's 9:00 PM in Detroit.
Distance & Flight Time
2,008 mi / 3,232 km
Nonstop flight time is approximately 4h 14m.
Getting from DTW

DTW has no rail. Ride-shares and taxis are the practical options. Taxis to downtown cost $45–60. Ride-shares run $30–45. The two terminals (McNamara and North) are connected by the automated people mover (MTC); both share the same baggage claim and ground transport facilities.Car rental desks are in the consolidated facility accessible from McNamara Terminal. SMART bus Route 261 serves the airport with transfers into the bus network. Allow extra time for I-94 congestion during peak hours.

Detroit Climate

Humid continental climate. Winters are cold and snowy (−8 to 0°C) from December through March. Lake Erie and Lake St. Clair generate significant lake-effect snow that can fall heavily with little warning. Ice storms and blizzards cause the most serious flight disruptions.

Summers are warm and humid (26–32°C) with frequent afternoon thunderstorms. Spring and fall are transitional with frost risk into April and from October. January and February are the highest disruption-risk months.

SMF–DTW Quick Facts

Key statistics for the Sacramento to Detroit route.
Route details
Distance2,008 mi / 3,232 km
Flight time4h 14m
Time difference+3 hours
Airlines (nonstop)1
Weekly flights7 out / 14 return
1-stop connections35 hubs
Origin: SMF
IATA / ICAOSMF / KSMF
TimezoneAmerica/Los_Angeles
Passengers/yr13.4M
Elevation27 ft / 8 m
Destination: DTW
IATA / ICAODTW / KDTW
TimezoneAmerica/Detroit
Passengers/yr32.2M
Elevation645 ft / 197 m

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about SMF to DTW flights.
Nonstop flights from Sacramento International Airport to Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport take approximately 4h 14m. The route covers 2,008 miles.
1 airline operates nonstop service: Delta Air Lines.
There are approximately 7 nonstop flights per week from SMF to DTW. The return direction has about 14 weekly flights.
Yes, 1-stop connections are available through LGA, IND, MCI, CVG, TYS, BIF, PVR, MIA, SNA, MDW, IAD, BWI, PDX, EWR, IAH, CLT, MSP, MCO, BNA, ORD, ATL, SLC, DFW, LAX, HNL, MEX, SFO, LAS, SJD, PHX, DEN, SAN, SEA, STL and AUS. These options provide additional schedule flexibility.
Detroit is 3 hours ahead of Sacramento.
Yes, return flights from DTW to SMF are available. Use the direction toggle at the top to view the return schedule.
Nearby alternatives include SFO. 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 SMF to DTW

Sacramento International Airport (SMF) and Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) are connected by nonstop service from Delta Air Lines. With 7 weekly departures, this is a regularly served route.

SMF to DTW Flight Duration and Schedule

Nonstop flight time from SMF to DTW ranges from 4 hours 14 minutes. The route covers a distance of 2,008 miles (3,232 km). There are approximately 7 weekly flights outbound and 14 return, totaling 21 flights per week in both directions.

Connecting Options and Alternatives

35 one-stop connections are available, with the fastest taking approximately 5 hours via LGA. Two-stop connections are also available via intermediate hubs. Nearby alternative airports include San Francisco (SFO).