Traffic Predict
El Cajon to Carlsbad: Thanksgiving Traffic 2026
On the Wednesday before Thanksgiving (November 25), the drive from El Cajon to Carlsbad is longest leaving around 4:30 pm: about 67 minutes, about the same as a normal Wednesday. Leave around 9 am (41 minutes) or 9 pm (40 minutes) instead. Coming back on Sunday, November 29, the slowest time to leave is around 12:30 pm (51 minutes); around 6:30 am it takes 40 minutes.
Day by day
- Tuesday, November 24: fastest leaving around 8 am (40 minutes), slowest around 4:30 pm (66 minutes, about like a normal Tuesday).
- Wednesday, November 25: fastest leaving around 8 am (38 minutes), slowest around 4:30 pm (67 minutes, about like a normal Wednesday).
- Thursday, November 26: fastest leaving around 7 am (36 minutes), slowest around 4:30 pm (56 minutes, 10 minutes less than a normal Thursday).
- Friday, November 27: fastest leaving around 7 am (37 minutes), slowest around 3:30 pm (51 minutes, 8 minutes less than a normal Friday).
- Saturday, November 28: fastest leaving around 6 am (40 minutes), slowest around 12 pm (48 minutes, about like a normal Saturday).
- Sunday, November 29: fastest leaving around 6:30 am (40 minutes), slowest around 12:30 pm (51 minutes, about like a normal Sunday).
Drive time by departure
| Leave | 5am | 6am | 7am | 8am | 9am | 10am | 11am | 12pm | 1pm | 2pm | 3pm | 4pm | 5pm | 6pm | 7pm | 8pm | 9pm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tue Nov 24 | 40 | 40 | 40 | 40 | 41 | 44 | 44 | 44 | 45 | 46 | 53 | 66 | 64 | 49 | 44 | 41 | 40 |
| Wed Nov 25 | 40 | 39 | 38 | 38 | 41 | 43 | 45 | 46 | 46 | 49 | 58 | 66 | 63 | 47 | 42 | 41 | 40 |
| Thu Nov 26 | 39 | 37 | 36 | 37 | 39 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 44 | 43 | 48 | 54 | 55 | 44 | 40 | 41 | 39 |
| Fri Nov 27 | 39 | 38 | 37 | 38 | 40 | 41 | 41 | 42 | 44 | 46 | 51 | 51 | 44 | 40 | 40 | 41 | 40 |
| Sat Nov 28 | 40 | 40 | 40 | 40 | 41 | 43 | 46 | 48 | 46 | 44 | 44 | 44 | 43 | 42 | 41 | 41 | 40 |
| Sun Nov 29 | 40 | 40 | 40 | 40 | 41 | 43 | 51 | 51 | 49 | 46 | 45 | 43 | 42 | 41 | 41 | 41 | 40 |
Minutes for the 41-mile drive, streets included (hover a cell for a normal day). Estimated from this trip's typical speeds and how much each freeway on it sped up or slowed down on past Thanksgivings (2016 onward, leaving out 2020), hour by hour. A crash or storm can change any single day.
El Cajon to Carlsbad on a normal day →
Thanksgiving traffic across California · Traffic estimator
Questions
What is the worst time to drive from El Cajon to Carlsbad for Thanksgiving?
On the Wednesday before Thanksgiving (November 25), the drive from El Cajon to Carlsbad is longest leaving around 4:30 pm: about 67 minutes, about the same as a normal Wednesday. Leave around 9 am (41 minutes) or 9 pm (40 minutes) instead. Coming back on Sunday, November 29, the slowest time to leave is around 12:30 pm (51 minutes); around 6:30 am it takes 40 minutes.
How long does the drive from El Cajon to Carlsbad take over Thanksgiving?
Tuesday, November 24: fastest leaving around 8 am (40 minutes), slowest around 4:30 pm (66 minutes, about like a normal Tuesday). Wednesday, November 25: fastest leaving around 8 am (38 minutes), slowest around 4:30 pm (67 minutes, about like a normal Wednesday). Thursday, November 26: fastest leaving around 7 am (36 minutes), slowest around 4:30 pm (56 minutes, 10 minutes less than a normal Thursday). Friday, November 27: fastest leaving around 7 am (37 minutes), slowest around 3:30 pm (51 minutes, 8 minutes less than a normal Friday). Saturday, November 28: fastest leaving around 6 am (40 minutes), slowest around 12 pm (48 minutes, about like a normal Saturday). Sunday, November 29: fastest leaving around 6:30 am (40 minutes), slowest around 12:30 pm (51 minutes, about like a normal Sunday).