Traffic Predict
When to Leave for LAX: Drive Times by Time of Day
How long it usually takes to drive to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) on a weekday, by the time you leave, from 26 cities. The slowest in the table: from Palm Springs at 6 am, about 151 minutes.
Plan to reach the airport about 2 hours before a domestic flight and 3 hours before an international one; the columns on the right give the latest time to leave to be at the curb by 7 am or 5 pm on a normal weekday.
Driving to LAX
Typical Tuesday drive times from our freeway sensors, from the city centre to the terminals; weekends are usually faster, Friday afternoons slower. Crashes and weather are not included.
Leaving LAX
| To | 6 am | 8 am | noon | 5 pm |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anaheim | 33 min | 40 min | 35 min | 44 min |
| Burbank | 30 min | 43 min | 34 min | 41 min |
| Corona | 51 min | 60 min | 54 min | 66 min |
| Downey | 20 min | 22 min | 21 min | 25 min |
| El Monte | 32 min | 38 min | 35 min | 45 min |
| Glendale | 28 min | 41 min | 32 min | 38 min |
| Huntington Beach | 40 min | 43 min | 42 min | 56 min |
| Irvine | 42 min | 51 min | 43 min | 59 min |
| Long Beach | 21 min | 25 min | 23 min | 36 min |
| Los Angeles | 20 min | 30 min | 22 min | 22 min |
| Mission Viejo | 51 min | 61 min | 53 min | 72 min |
| Ontario | 52 min | 60 min | 57 min | 77 min |
| Oxnard | 65 min | 76 min | 70 min | 92 min |
| Palm Springs | 120 min | 129 min | 128 min | 146 min |
| Pasadena | 30 min | 42 min | 33 min | 39 min |
| Pomona | 45 min | 53 min | 50 min | 66 min |
| Riverside | 65 min | 76 min | 69 min | 82 min |
| San Bernardino | 73 min | 82 min | 80 min | 99 min |
| San Diego | 121 min | 131 min | 121 min | 133 min |
| Santa Ana | 39 min | 50 min | 40 min | 49 min |
| Santa Barbara | 108 min | 115 min | 106 min | 125 min |
| Santa Clarita | 39 min | 47 min | 43 min | 58 min |
| Temecula | 89 min | 98 min | 90 min | 107 min |
| Thousand Oaks | 40 min | 52 min | 45 min | 68 min |
| Van Nuys | 24 min | 30 min | 27 min | 40 min |
| Ventura | 68 min | 79 min | 73 min | 95 min |
| West Covina | 34 min | 41 min | 38 min | 52 min |
| Whittier | 28 min | 33 min | 30 min | 40 min |
Questions
How early should I leave for LAX?
Aim to reach LAX about 2 hours before a domestic flight (3 hours for international). The table above gives the latest time to leave from each city to be there by 7 am or 5 pm on a normal weekday; allow extra time on Friday afternoons, holidays and rainy days.
How long does it take to drive from Anaheim to LAX?
On a weekday it usually takes about 34 minutes leaving at 6 am and about 37 minutes leaving at 5 pm.