Sacramento to Los Angeles (SMF–LAX) — 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.
SMF–LAX is served by 6 airlines with nonstop service. Southwest Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines lead the route. The flight covers 373 miles in approximately 1h 36m. Beyond nonstop, 1-stop connecting options are also available.
Airline Landscape
| Airline | Freq/wk | Aircraft | Duration | Dep OTP | Alliance | Codeshares |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WN Southwest Airlines | 74 | 737, 738, 73H, 7M8, 7S7, B38M | 1h25-1h35 | – | – | |
| DL Delta Air Lines Also: AF, AM, CI, KE, KL, LA, MU, SK, VS, WS | 42 | E75L, E7W | 1h28-1h42 | SkyTeam | AF, AM, CI, KE, KL, LA, MU, SK, VS, WS | |
| UA United Airlines Also: AC, AV, CM, LX, NH, NZ, SQ, VA | 28 | 738, 739, B38M, E7W | 1h28-1h46 | Star Alliance | AC, AV, CM, LX, NH, NZ, SQ, VA | |
| AA American Airlines Also: AS, AY, BA, EI, FJ, JL, PD, QF, QR | 21 | CR7, E75L | 1h27-1h45 | Oneworld | AS, AY, BA, EI, FJ, JL, PD, QF, QR | |
| F9 Frontier Also: Y4 | 7 | 32N | 1h35 | – | Y4 | |
| OO SkyWest Airlines | 0 | – | – | – | – |
Weekly Schedule Pattern
Connection Landscape
On-Time Performance
Other ways to reach Los Angeles from Sacramento
| Metric | SMF→LAX | CCR→LAX | SCK→LAX |
|---|---|---|---|
| Distance from SMF | – | 55 mi | 59 mi |
| Nonstop airlines | 6 | 1 | 2 |
| Weekly flights | 450 | 1 | 1 |
| Flight time | 1h 36m | 0h 57m | 0h 49m |
| Departure OTP | 80% | – | – |
Travel Essentials
SMF: PDT · LAX: PDT
When it's 6:00 PM in Sacramento, it's 6:00 PM in Los Angeles.
LAX has no direct rail link to downtown. The closest option is the free LAX Shuttle G to the Metro C Line station at Aviation/Century Blvd (fare $1.75 to Union Station, 40–50 min). Taxis use a meter; expect $35–55 to downtown and $30–45 to Santa Monica. Ride-shares cost $20–45 depending on destination and surge pricing.Rental car facilities are a short shuttle ride from terminals. FlyAway buses run to Union Station, Van Nuys, Hollywood, and Westwood ($9.75–11.25). For LAX Connect (the new people mover to Inglewood), check if it has opened at time of travel.
Mediterranean climate. Summers are warm and dry (24–30°C) with low humidity and almost no rain. Winters are mild (10–18°C) with occasional rain from November through March. Fog ("June Gloom") is common from late May through July, blanketing mornings until noon and causing departure delays.
Santa Ana winds occur in fall and spring, sometimes grounding departures briefly. Heat waves in September–October can push temperatures above 38°C inland, though LAX itself stays cooler near the coast.
SMF–LAX Quick Facts
Frequently Asked Questions
Sacramento to Los Angeles: California Capital to Entertainment Hub
The Sacramento–Los Angeles corridor is California's second-busiest intrastate air route after SFO–LAX, connecting the state capital with the nation's second-largest metropolitan area. Eleven carriers compete for 252 weekly departures, producing one of the most price-competitive intrastate markets in the US. The passenger mix is diverse: state government workers, Sacramento residents accessing LAX for international connections, entertainment industry professionals, and leisure travelers in both directions.
LAX Connectivity and Ground Transport Complexities
Los Angeles International Airport's sprawling multi-terminal design creates connection friction that Sacramento passengers using LAX as a gateway to international routes should account for. The airport's ongoing modernization includes a future automated people mover connecting the terminals to the new consolidated rental car facility. This will eventually improve inter-terminal transit times. Until then, domestic-to-international connections at LAX require 75–90 minutes minimum to account for terminal changes and security re-clearing in some configurations.