Best Time to Drive from Downey to SNA

Right now (12:33 pm PDT): about 30 minutes via I-5 South, usually 32 at this time.

Only 51% of this drive is measured by working traffic sensors right now. The rest is estimated from nearby sensors, typical speeds and street traffic, so times can be off. Why so few sensors work.

Typical drive time by departure time

Minutes from Downey to SNA by day and time you leave (local time)
Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	27	30	45	49	40	32	32	32	32	34	37	38	40	34	30	29	27
Tue	27	32	55	62	47	39	35	33	34	37	39	43	47	40	34	30	28
Wed	26	33	52	58	46	39	35	33	33	34	38	41	46	38	33	29	28
Thu	27	32	52	56	46	39	35	35	37	36	42	47	48	39	34	30	28
Fri	27	31	40	39	35	34	36	37	37	40	46	45	46	43	35	30	28
Sat	28	28	28	28	29	30	31	32	33	36	37	38	39	33	30	29	28
Sun	27	28	27	28	29	29	29	30	30	30	30	30	30	29	29	30	28

About this drive

On weekdays the 28-mile drive from Downey to SNA (via I-5 South) usually takes as little as 26 minutes and up to 62 minutes, when leaving around 8 am on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 8:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 35 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 5 pm on Saturdays (39 minutes).

About 23 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 4 miles surface streets (7 to 22 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Downey (Downey Avenue) to John Wayne Airport, Orange County (SNA) (Paularino Avenue) along the route on the map. Starting or ending elsewhere in a big city can add or save several minutes.

Simulated from typical freeway speeds at each point of the drive for the time you would reach it, from every 5-minute reading we have recorded. We don't have sensors on surface streets yet, so the time on them is estimated from how congested the freeways around each end of the drive are at that time, in both directions: streets jam when the freeways do.

Questions

What is the best time to drive from Downey to SNA?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 8:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 26 minutes then, versus up to 62 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Downey to SNA?

The 28-mile drive usually takes 26 to 62 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 35 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Downey to SNA?

Leaving around 8 am on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 62 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 South in Orange County (19 miles) · SR-55 South in Orange County (4 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow · Orange County traffic right now · Orange County traffic tomorrow

More drives

SNA to Downey (return trip) · Downey to Los Angeles · Downey to Santa Monica · Downey to Long Beach · Downey to West Covina · Downey to Burbank · Downey to Glendale · Downey to Santa Clarita · Downey to Van Nuys · Downey to LAX · Downey to Hollywood · Downey to Culver City

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	27	30	45	49	40	32	32	32	32	34	37	38	40	34	30	29	27
Tue	27	32	55	62	47	39	35	33	34	37	39	43	47	40	34	30	28
Wed	26	33	52	58	46	39	35	33	33	34	38	41	46	38	33	29	28
Thu	27	32	52	56	46	39	35	35	37	36	42	47	48	39	34	30	28
Fri	27	31	40	39	35	34	36	37	37	40	46	45	46	43	35	30	28
Sat	28	28	28	28	29	30	31	32	33	36	37	38	39	33	30	29	28
Sun	27	28	27	28	29	29	29	30	30	30	30	30	30	29	29	30	28

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	27	30	45	49	40	32	32	32	32	34	37	38	40	34	30	29	27
Tue	27	32	55	62	47	39	35	33	34	37	39	43	47	40	34	30	28
Wed	26	33	52	58	46	39	35	33	33	34	38	41	46	38	33	29	28
Thu	27	32	52	56	46	39	35	35	37	36	42	47	48	39	34	30	28
Fri	27	31	40	39	35	34	36	37	37	40	46	45	46	43	35	30	28
Sat	28	28	28	28	29	30	31	32	33	36	37	38	39	33	30	29	28
Sun	27	28	27	28	29	29	29	30	30	30	30	30	30	29	29	30	28

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	27	30	45	49	40	32	32	32	32	34	37	38	40	34	30	29	27
Tue	27	32	55	62	47	39	35	33	34	37	39	43	47	40	34	30	28
Wed	26	33	52	58	46	39	35	33	33	34	38	41	46	38	33	29	28
Thu	27	32	52	56	46	39	35	35	37	36	42	47	48	39	34	30	28
Fri	27	31	40	39	35	34	36	37	37	40	46	45	46	43	35	30	28
Sat	28	28	28	28	29	30	31	32	33	36	37	38	39	33	30	29	28
Sun	27	28	27	28	29	29	29	30	30	30	30	30	30	29	29	30	28