Best Time to Drive from El Monte to LAX

Right now (4:52 pm PDT): about 60 minutes via I-10 West, usually 35 at this time.

Only 12% 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 El Monte to LAX 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	32	40	52	59	48	42	40	37	37	36	35	34	34	34	33	33	33
Tue	32	45	60	62	57	42	39	38	36	36	36	34	34	34	33	33	33
Wed	32	43	54	63	58	45	41	39	37	36	35	35	34	34	34	34	33
Thu	32	43	49	59	55	44	42	40	37	37	36	35	34	35	34	34	33
Fri	32	37	43	47	46	39	39	38	36	36	36	35	35	37	35	33	33
Sat	33	33	34	35	39	40	42	44	42	41	41	41	39	38	37	35	34
Sun	33	33	33	34	35	36	38	39	41	40	38	36	36	36	36	36	35

About this drive

On weekdays the 29-mile drive from El Monte to LAX (via I-10 West) usually takes as little as 32 minutes and up to 67 minutes, when leaving around 7:30 am on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 6:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 38 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 11:30 am on Saturdays (45 minutes).

About 21 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 8 miles surface streets (14 to 35 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central El Monte (Valley Boulevard) to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) 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 El Monte to LAX?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 6:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 32 minutes then, versus up to 67 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from El Monte to LAX?

The 29-mile drive usually takes 32 to 67 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 38 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from El Monte to LAX?

Leaving around 7:30 am on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 67 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-10 West in Los Angeles (17 miles) · I-110 South in Los Angeles (3 miles) · US-101 North in Los Angeles (1.6 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

More drives

LAX to El Monte (return trip) · El Monte to Los Angeles · El Monte to Santa Monica · El Monte to Pasadena · El Monte to Long Beach · El Monte to West Covina · El Monte to Burbank · El Monte to Glendale · El Monte to Santa Clarita · El Monte to Van Nuys · El Monte to Torrance · El Monte to Hollywood

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	32	40	52	59	48	42	40	37	37	36	35	34	34	34	33	33	33
Tue	32	45	60	62	57	42	39	38	36	36	36	34	34	34	33	33	33
Wed	32	43	54	63	58	45	41	39	37	36	35	35	34	34	34	34	33
Thu	32	43	49	59	55	44	42	40	37	37	36	35	34	35	34	34	33
Fri	32	37	43	47	46	39	39	38	36	36	36	35	35	37	35	33	33
Sat	33	33	34	35	39	40	42	44	42	41	41	41	39	38	37	35	34
Sun	33	33	33	34	35	36	38	39	41	40	38	36	36	36	36	36	35

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	32	40	52	59	48	42	40	37	37	36	35	34	34	34	33	33	33
Tue	32	45	60	62	57	42	39	38	36	36	36	34	34	34	33	33	33
Wed	32	43	54	63	58	45	41	39	37	36	35	35	34	34	34	34	33
Thu	32	43	49	59	55	44	42	40	37	37	36	35	34	35	34	34	33
Fri	32	37	43	47	46	39	39	38	36	36	36	35	35	37	35	33	33
Sat	33	33	34	35	39	40	42	44	42	41	41	41	39	38	37	35	34
Sun	33	33	33	34	35	36	38	39	41	40	38	36	36	36	36	36	35

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	32	40	52	59	48	42	40	37	37	36	35	34	34	34	33	33	33
Tue	32	45	60	62	57	42	39	38	36	36	36	34	34	34	33	33	33
Wed	32	43	54	63	58	45	41	39	37	36	35	35	34	34	34	34	33
Thu	32	43	49	59	55	44	42	40	37	37	36	35	34	35	34	34	33
Fri	32	37	43	47	46	39	39	38	36	36	36	35	35	37	35	33	33
Sat	33	33	34	35	39	40	42	44	42	41	41	41	39	38	37	35	34
Sun	33	33	33	34	35	36	38	39	41	40	38	36	36	36	36	36	35