When to Leave for SJC: Drive Times by Time of Day
How long it usually takes to drive to San José Mineta International Airport (SJC) on a weekday, by the time you leave, from 10 cities. The slowest in the table: from Richmond at 8 am, about 89 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 SJC
| From | 6 am | 8 am | noon | 5 pm | Be there by 7 am | By 5 pm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Berkeley | 54 min | 76 min | 50 min | 58 min | leave 6:05 am | leave 4:05 pm |
| Fremont | 18 min | 24 min | 19 min | 19 min | leave 6:40 am | leave 4:40 pm |
| Hayward | 29 min | 50 min | 29 min | 32 min | leave 6:25 am | leave 4:25 pm |
| Oakland | 46 min | 70 min | 44 min | 51 min | leave 6:10 am | leave 4:10 pm |
| Palo Alto | 16 min | 17 min | 18 min | 33 min | leave 6:40 am | leave 4:25 pm |
| Pleasanton | 27 min | 33 min | 27 min | 27 min | leave 6:30 am | leave 4:30 pm |
| Richmond | 63 min | 89 min | 58 min | 67 min | leave 5:55 am | leave 3:55 pm |
| San Francisco | 44 min | 57 min | 47 min | 66 min | leave 6:15 am | leave 3:50 pm |
| San Mateo | 28 min | 36 min | 30 min | 47 min | leave 6:30 am | leave 4:10 pm |
| Walnut Creek | 46 min | 56 min | 45 min | 47 min | leave 6:10 am | leave 4:10 pm |
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 SJC
| To | 6 am | 8 am | noon | 5 pm |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Berkeley | 45 min | 59 min | 48 min | 64 min |
| Fremont | 18 min | 19 min | 19 min | 27 min |
| Hayward | 27 min | 29 min | 28 min | 45 min |
| Mountain View | 14 min | 19 min | 14 min | 14 min |
| Oakland | 39 min | 53 min | 42 min | 58 min |
| Palo Alto | 17 min | 25 min | 17 min | 19 min |
| Pleasanton | 27 min | 28 min | 28 min | 36 min |
| Richmond | 50 min | 65 min | 54 min | 76 min |
| San Francisco | 44 min | 61 min | 46 min | 56 min |
| San Mateo | 28 min | 38 min | 29 min | 36 min |
| Walnut Creek | 44 min | 48 min | 46 min | 62 min |
Questions
How early should I leave for SJC?
Aim to reach SJC 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 Berkeley to SJC?
On a weekday it usually takes about 54 minutes leaving at 6 am and about 58 minutes leaving at 5 pm.