Sacramento skyline with the Tower Bridge over the Sacramento River. Flights from Denver to Sacramento

Route guide

Cheap Flights from Denver to Sacramento

Search partner fares from Denver International (DEN) to Sacramento International (SMF), and see which SMF terminal each airline uses before you land.

DEN to SMF · 907 mi · 2h 33m est.

DEN to SMF
907 miles
2h 33m nonstop (estimated)
5 airlines in our fare results

Photo: Quintin Soloviev, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Denver to Sacramento flight insights

Average flight time

~2h 33m (estimated)

DEN → SMF

Cheapest cached price

$286

Checking live fares…

Prices shown may not be current. Last checked: Oct 19, 2026.

Planning a trip from Denver to Sacramento? The average flight time on this route is ~2h 33m (estimated). The lowest fare we recorded on this route recently was $286 (last checked Oct 19, 2026); today's live fare for your dates can differ.

Denver to Sacramento covers a straight-line distance of about 907 miles. Based on that distance, a nonstop flight would take approximately ~2h 33m (estimated). Actual flight time varies by airline, aircraft and routing.

Denver to Sacramento at a glance

DEN to SMF is about 907 miles in a straight line. The curved line is an illustration; the route your airline flies may differ.

Route Quick Facts

Quick facts for flights from Denver to Sacramento on Eazair
Origin	Denver (DEN)
Destination	Sacramento (SMF)
Average Flight Time	~2h 33m (estimated)
Current Lowest Fare	$286
Fares Last Checked	Oct 19, 2026
Distance	907 miles (DEN to SMF)
Time in Sacramento	1 hour behind Denver
Airlines in our fare results	5

Local time in Sacramento is 1 hour behind Denver. Denver is on Mountain Time, Sacramento on Pacific Time.

Flight deals from Denver to Sacramento

Sacramento International (SMF) is the arrival airport on this page, with departures from Denver International (DEN). The SMF website also lists Sacramento Executive (SAC) and Mather (MHR), but these results use SMF. EazAir's fare checks for DEN to SMF have surfaced Frontier, Southwest, United, American and Delta. SMF lists American, Delta and United in Terminal A, and Frontier and Southwest in Terminal B. At DEN, Frontier and Delta use Concourse A, United A and B, and Southwest and American Concourse C.

Check-in at DEN is on Level 6, where the final phase of the Great Hall Program is renovating airline check-in at the south end; DEN says the program will be done by the end of 2027. The East and West checkpoints on that level both reach every gate, and DEN said in August 2025 that both open from 3 a.m. to 1 a.m. with TSA PreCheck and CLEAR. Besides the A Line, RTD lists airport buses AB1 and AB2 from Boulder and 145X from Brighton.

Terminal A and Terminal B at SMF are separate buildings, and SMF says walking between them through the parking garage, about 10 minutes, is the fastest option. SacRT Route 142, the Airport Express, serves both terminals and runs to downtown Sacramento every 60 minutes from 5:15 a.m. to 10:33 p.m., SacRT says. Yolobus 42A and 42B stop on the arrivals level and loop through Woodland, West Sacramento, downtown Sacramento and Davis. Rideshares meet passengers at the ground transportation curb.

Three fare checks are not enough to read a trend: EazAir's first 3 for DEN to SMF ran from 28 Sep to 11 Oct 2026, each for the lowest one-way economy fare for one adult, departing 30 days later, and the highest result was at least double the lowest. Frontier without a bundle includes only a personal item, while Southwest allows a carry-on. Search your own dates, and check the final price, bags and fare rules on the partner site before you pay.

Airports for Denver to Sacramento flights

Departure · Denver

Denver International (DEN)

Mountain Time

Arrival · Sacramento

Sacramento International (SMF)

Pacific Time

About Sacramento

Areas to know in Sacramento

Midtown
East Sacramento
Downtown

Weather in Sacramento

A Mediterranean climate with hot, dry summers and mild, wetter winters.

Denver to Sacramento: airport and fare guide

Checked on 17 Oct 2026 against the airport, airline and transit pages listed under Sources. Airports and airlines change these details, so confirm them with your airline before you fly.

The SMF website also lists Sacramento Executive Airport (SAC) and Mather Airport (MHR). The flights in this guide use Sacramento International (SMF).

Leaving from Denver International (DEN)

Airline	DEN concourse
Delta	Concourse A
Frontier	Concourse A
United	Concourses A and B
Southwest	Concourse C
American	Concourse C
Other airlines	Check your boarding pass or airline app.

Ride the RTD A Line from Union Station to Denver Airport Station. RTD says an Airport Fare applies.
RTD also lists airport bus routes, including AB1 and AB2 from Boulder, AT and ATA from Arapahoe County and 145X from Brighton. RTD says SkyRide bus trips to or from DEN need an Airport Fare.
DEN's East and West security checkpoints are both on Level 6 and give access to all airline gates.
DEN said on 7 Oct 2026 that West Security is open from 3:30 a.m. to 1 a.m. and East Security from 3 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. Both take TSA PreCheck and CLEAR.
DEN recommends arriving at least two hours before your flight to allow time for security, and its security page points travelers to real-time wait times.
The final phase of the Great Hall Program includes renovating airline check-in on the south end of Level 6, and DEN says the whole program will be done by the end of 2027.

Arriving at Sacramento International (SMF)

Airline	SMF terminal
American	Terminal A
Delta	Terminal A
United	Terminal A
Frontier	Terminal B
Southwest	Terminal B
Other airlines	Check your boarding pass or airline app.

From the SMF Airlines page, which shows no date. Terminal assignments can change, so check your boarding pass.

SMF says Terminal A and Terminal B are in separate buildings. Walking between them through the parking garage takes about 10 minutes and is the fastest option.
In Terminal B, the Automated People Mover shuttle to the Terminal B concourse is on level 3, ahead and to the right of Old Soul Baking Co., SMF's directions say.
Changing terminals means going through the TSA checkpoint again to reach your gate, SMF says.
The Daily Lot shuttle also links the terminals. SMF says it arrives every 10 minutes at the ground transportation curb.

Getting from SMF	Where to board	Where it goes
SacRT Route 142 (Airport Express)	Terminals A and B, SacRT says.	Downtown Sacramento, with multiple stops downtown. SacRT lists daily service from 5:15 a.m. to 10:33 p.m., every 60 minutes.
Yolobus 42A and 42B	Terminal A and Terminal B, on the arrivals level, Yolobus says.	A loop through Woodland, West Sacramento, downtown Sacramento and Davis. The 42A runs clockwise and the 42B counter-clockwise.
Rideshare (Uber, Lyft, Wingz)	The ground transportation curb, SMF says. SMF posts a pickup map for each terminal.	Your app destination.
Taxis	The ground transportation area next to the baggage claim area, SMF says.	Your destination.
Daily Lot shuttle	The ground transportation curb at Terminal A or Terminal B.	The other terminal. SMF says it arrives every 10 minutes and drops off on the ground (1st) level.

What the lowest fares include

Fare	Carry-on	Checked bag	Seat	Changes
Delta Main Basic	Delta says every passenger can bring one carry-on and one personal item free.	Delta charges for checked bags on domestic flights unless you qualify for a waiver, such as Medallion status or an eligible Delta SkyMiles American Express card.	Assigned after check-in. You may be able to buy a seat ahead of time for a fee.	Refunds are not allowed after the 24-hour risk-free cancellation window. Delta says a change or cancellation may be possible for a fee, with any value left as an eCredit.
American Basic Economy	Included, plus a personal item.	Not included, except for some AAdvantage status members and eligible cardmembers.	A free seat is assigned at check-in, or you can pay to choose one.	Generally not allowed. American describes a 24-hour window and some credit options on its Basic Economy page.
United Basic Economy	Not included on domestic flights. One personal item only, unless you are a MileagePlus Premier member, travel with one, or hold a qualifying MileagePlus card.	Not included; check United's bag fee calculator.	Assigned by United before boarding.	Changes may not be allowed. Refund if cancelled within 24 hours of booking, under United's 24-hour policy; after that, partial travel credit.
Southwest Basic	Southwest's policy allows one carry-on and one personal item.	Checked bag fees apply to Basic fares.	A free Standard seat is assigned at check-in. Preferred and Extra Legroom seats cost extra.	Only by upgrading to a Choice fare or higher. Cancelling at least 10 minutes before departure gives a flight credit, which for Basic expires 6 months from booking.
Frontier, without a bundle	Not included. One personal item only.	Not included. Prices vary by travel date and when you buy.	Costs extra, or a seat is assigned after check-in.	Not covered here. Check Frontier's rules before you book.

Based on the airlines' own pages, checked on 17 Oct 2026. Fees are left out because they change often. Check the final price, bags and fare rules on the partner site before you pay.

How EazAir measured fares on this route

EazAir's first 3 fare checks from Denver to Sacramento ran from 28 Sep to 11 Oct 2026. Each check asked partner travel sites for the lowest one-way economy fare for one adult, departing 30 days after the check. Results can include connecting flights. The highest result was at least double the lowest. With only 3 checks, this cannot show a pattern. Search your own dates for current prices.

Sources

DEN: Airlines (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
DEN: Security (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
DEN: Great Hall Program (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
DEN: East security checkpoint opens (4 Aug 2025, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
DEN: Passenger surge during Fall Break travel rush (7 Oct 2026, accessed 26 Oct 2026)
RTD: Airport (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
SMF: Airlines (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
SMF: Public transportation (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
SMF: App based ride share (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
SMF: Taxis (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
SMF: FAQ (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
SMF: Inter-terminal directions (PDF) (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
SacRT: Airport Express (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
Yolobus: Travel to SMF on the 42 (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
Delta: Delta Main Basic (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
Delta: Fares and discounts (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
Delta: Carry-on baggage (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
Delta: Bags (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
American Airlines: Basic Economy (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
United: Basic Economy FAQ (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
Southwest: Fare information (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
Southwest: Assigned seating (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
Southwest: Carry-on baggage policy (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
Southwest: Fare types and benefits (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
Frontier: What is included in my fare (last modified 25 Mar 2026, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
Frontier: Bag options (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
Frontier: Bundles (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
EazAir fare checks for DEN to SMF, 28 Sep 2026 to 11 Oct 2026

Frequently asked questions

Which SMF terminal will I land at?

SMF lists American, Delta and United in Terminal A, and Frontier and Southwest in Terminal B. The airlines page shows no date, so check your boarding pass.

How do I get from SMF to downtown Sacramento?

SacRT Route 142, the Airport Express, serves both terminals. SacRT lists service from 5:15 a.m. to 10:33 p.m., every 60 minutes, with multiple stops downtown.

Where do taxis and rideshares pick up at SMF?

SMF says taxis are in the ground transportation area next to baggage claim, and Uber, Lyft and Wingz drivers meet passengers at the ground transportation curb.

When do DEN security checkpoints open?

DEN said in August 2025 that its East and West checkpoints both open from 3 a.m. to 1 a.m. and accept TSA PreCheck and CLEAR. DEN recommends arriving at least two hours before your flight.

Do the lowest fares on this route include a carry-on?

Southwest allows one carry-on, Delta says every passenger gets one free, and American Basic Economy includes one. Frontier without a bundle and United Basic Economy include only a personal item, with some MileagePlus exceptions for United.

How far apart are DEN and SMF?

DEN and SMF are about 907 miles apart in a straight line. Flight times vary by airline, direction and routing, so check the scheduled time shown with each result.

Airline bag fees

Baggage allowances differ significantly between fare classes (Basic/Light vs. Standard/Flex) and can change over time. Always verify the exact allowance for your specific fare with the airline before you fly.

Checked bag fees from each airline's own website
Airline	Carry-on, basic economy	1st checked bag	2nd checked bag	Source
American Airlines	Included	$45	$55	aa.com, Sep 24, 2026
United Airlines	Not included	$40	$50	united.com, Sep 24, 2026
Delta Air Lines	Included	$45	$55	delta.com, Sep 24, 2026
Southwest Airlines	Included	$45	$55	southwest.com, Oct 27, 2026
JetBlue	Included	$45	$59	jetblue.com, Sep 24, 2026
Alaska Airlines	Included	$45	$55	alaskaair.com, Sep 24, 2026
Frontier Airlines	Not included	Varies	Varies	flyfrontier.com, Sep 24, 2026
Sun Country Airlines	Not included	Varies	Varies	suncountry.com, Sep 24, 2026

Domestic US fees per bag, each way, when paid online in advance. "Varies" means the airline prices bags by route and date.

Travel tips

Arrive early for domestic flights

TSA generally recommends arriving at least 2 hours before a domestic departure, more at larger hub airports during peak travel periods.

Pack a mixed carry-on

Keep a change of clothes, chargers, and any essentials in your carry-on rather than only your checked bag, in case of a delay or a bag that doesn't arrive with you.

Screenshot your confirmation

Save a screenshot or PDF of your booking confirmation and boarding pass before you travel, in case you lose signal or battery at the airport.

Check in online when it opens

Most airlines open online check-in 24 hours before departure. Checking in early can help with seat selection and, on some airlines, boarding group assignment.