Passenger Index / Airports / SMF

Sacramento International Airport (SMF)

Sacramento, California · Medium hub · #34 of 458 by 12-month departing passengers screened

Sacramento International Airport (SMF) screened about 6.7 million departing passengers at TSA checkpoints in the 12 months to September 30, 2026, down 2.5% on the prior 12 months. Over the same period, US Customs and Border Protection processed about 249,000 arriving international passengers there. That ranks SMF 34th of 458 US airports by departing passengers screened in Passenger Index's data.

12 months October 1, 2025 to September 30, 2026 · published figures rounded to 3 significant figures. TSA data covers 351 of the 365 days; the annual figure is scaled to a full year.

Departing passengers screened (TSA), 12M
6.7 million
-2.5% YoY
International arrivals (CBP), 12M
249,000
+16.3% YoY

Key facts

Airport
Sacramento International Airport · TSA name: Sacramento International
Location
Sacramento, California
IATA code
SMF
Hub class
Medium hub (0.8% of US TSA checkpoint throughput)
Size rank
#34 of 458 airports by 12-month departing passengers screened
CBP-monitored
Yes - international arrivals reported
Data through
September 30, 2026 (public); October 3, 2026 in Premium

Monthly passengers, last 12 months

MonthDeparting passengers screened (TSA)International arrivals (CBP)
September 2026555,94613,174
August 2026560,14820,262
July 2026623,12026,823
June 2026626,08221,171
May 2026598,81422,283
April 2026545,25120,156
March 2026544,40721,727
February 2026445,30723,929
January 2026467,02128,711
December 2025559,00919,214
November 2025548,23715,720
October 2025612,84715,614

Exact monthly totals for complete calendar months. A month with too few reported days shows "—". Year-over-year change by month, the latest 7 and 30 days and weekly data are in the paid plans.

Annual passengers

YearDeparting passengers screened (TSA)YoYInternational arrivals (CBP)YoY
20256,825,546+1.3%223,199+24.0%
20246,747,109+4.8%180,837+8.0%
20236,420,005+8.5%—n/a
20214,767,024+71.0%—n/a
20202,799,824-60.6%—n/a

Complete calendar years with a full set of monthly data, as reported by TSA. Year-over-year compares the same dates, using only days reported in both years.

How these numbers are built and what they do not count →

Daily SMF traffic in Passenger Index Premium

This page shows 12-month, monthly and annual totals. Premium subscribers get SMF's latest 7- and 30-day passengers with year-over-year change, daily and weekly history back to 2015, the departing and international-arrival series side by side, Airport Data for every US airport, and CSV and Excel downloads - data through October 3, 2026.

Open Airport Data

Frequently asked questions

How many passengers does Sacramento International Airport handle?

Sacramento International Airport (SMF) screened about 6.7 million departing passengers at TSA checkpoints in the 12 months to September 30, 2026, down 2.5% on the prior 12 months. Over the same period, US Customs and Border Protection processed about 249,000 arriving international passengers there. That ranks SMF 34th of 458 US airports by departing passengers screened in Passenger Index's data.

How many passengers did SMF screen last month?

In September 2026, 555,946 departing passengers were screened at TSA checkpoints at Sacramento International Airport (SMF), according to Passenger Index's compilation of TSA FOIA throughput data. CBP processed 13,174 arriving international passengers there that month.

Is passenger traffic at SMF growing?

In the 12 months to September 30, 2026, departing passengers screened at SMF were down 2.5% year over year; CBP international arrivals were +16.3%. Year-over-year compares the same 365 days a year earlier, using only days reported in both years.

Is SMF a large hub airport?

SMF is a medium hub in Passenger Index's FAA-style classification: it handled 0.8% of national TSA checkpoint throughput in the 12 months to September 30, 2026 (0.25% to 1% is the medium hub band). The FAA's official hub classes use calendar-year enplanements, so they can differ slightly.

How many international passengers arrive at SMF?

US Customs and Border Protection processed about 249,000 arriving international passengers (US citizens and visitors) at SMF in the 12 months to September 30, 2026. Travelers who cleared US immigration abroad at a preclearance airport (for example in Canada, Ireland or the Caribbean) arrive as domestic passengers and are not in this count.

Can this be split into domestic and international passengers?

Not from this data. TSA screening does not record where a passenger is flying, and CBP counts international arrivals only, so there is no international-departures figure to subtract. The two series measure opposite directions and are shown side by side, never added.

Why is this lower than the passenger count Sacramento International Airport reports?

Airports usually report enplaned plus deplaned passengers, counting every arriving and departing passenger including connections. TSA counts departing passengers once, at screening; arrivals and connecting passengers who stay airside are not screened again, so this measure runs well below airport-reported totals, especially at connecting hubs.

Where does this data come from?

TSA checkpoint throughput by airport from the TSA FOIA reading room and passengers processed from CBP Airport Wait Times, both US federal public-domain data, compiled and validated by Passenger Index. The 12-month headline is rounded to three significant figures; the monthly and annual tables are exact. Passenger Index Premium has the full daily series.

Cite this page

Passenger Index, "Sacramento International Airport (SMF) passenger traffic", 12 months to September 30, 2026. https://passengerindex.com/web/airports/smf/

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