Best Time to Drive from Irvine to LAX

Right now (4:03 pm PDT): about 62 minutes via I-405 North, usually 52 at this time.

None 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 Irvine 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	41	43	44	44	47	46	47	48	48	48	50	53	55	54	46	46	41
Tue	41	42	43	46	47	48	47	48	48	48	50	52	57	57	47	45	42
Wed	40	42	43	49	51	54	54	53	54	55	55	61	63	61	59	59	43
Thu	40	44	45	47	49	49	49	49	50	50	51	57	57	55	50	46	42
Fri	41	42	44	48	47	45	45	45	46	47	50	52	53	50	46	43	41
Sat	41	41	42	43	43	44	45	46	46	46	46	46	46	46	45	44	41
Sun	41	41	41	42	43	44	45	45	45	45	45	45	44	44	44	44	41

About this drive

On weekdays the 43-mile drive from Irvine to LAX (via I-405 North) usually takes as little as 40 minutes and up to 66 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Wednesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 7:30 am or after 9 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 49 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 12:30 pm on Sundays (46 minutes).

About 39 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 4 miles surface streets (6 to 13 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Irvine (Harvard Avenue) 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 Irvine to LAX?

On weekdays, leave before 7:30 am or after 9 pm. The drive usually takes about 40 minutes then, versus up to 66 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Irvine to LAX?

The 43-mile drive usually takes 40 to 66 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 49 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Irvine to LAX?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Wednesdays is usually slowest, about 66 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-405 North in Orange County (20 miles) · I-405 North in Los Angeles (19 miles)

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

More drives

LAX to Irvine (return trip) · Irvine to Los Angeles · Irvine to Santa Monica · Irvine to Pasadena · Irvine to Long Beach · Irvine to West Covina · Irvine to Burbank · Irvine to Glendale · Irvine to Santa Clarita · Irvine to Van Nuys · Irvine to Torrance · Irvine 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	41	43	44	44	47	46	47	48	48	48	50	53	55	54	46	46	41
Tue	41	42	43	46	47	48	47	48	48	48	50	52	57	57	47	45	42
Wed	40	42	43	49	51	54	54	53	54	55	55	61	63	61	59	59	43
Thu	40	44	45	47	49	49	49	49	50	50	51	57	57	55	50	46	42
Fri	41	42	44	48	47	45	45	45	46	47	50	52	53	50	46	43	41
Sat	41	41	42	43	43	44	45	46	46	46	46	46	46	46	45	44	41
Sun	41	41	41	42	43	44	45	45	45	45	45	45	44	44	44	44	41

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	41	43	44	44	47	46	47	48	48	48	50	53	55	54	46	46	41
Tue	41	42	43	46	47	48	47	48	48	48	50	52	57	57	47	45	42
Wed	40	42	43	49	51	54	54	53	54	55	55	61	63	61	59	59	43
Thu	40	44	45	47	49	49	49	49	50	50	51	57	57	55	50	46	42
Fri	41	42	44	48	47	45	45	45	46	47	50	52	53	50	46	43	41
Sat	41	41	42	43	43	44	45	46	46	46	46	46	46	46	45	44	41
Sun	41	41	41	42	43	44	45	45	45	45	45	45	44	44	44	44	41

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	41	43	44	44	47	46	47	48	48	48	50	53	55	54	46	46	41
Tue	41	42	43	46	47	48	47	48	48	48	50	52	57	57	47	45	42
Wed	40	42	43	49	51	54	54	53	54	55	55	61	63	61	59	59	43
Thu	40	44	45	47	49	49	49	49	50	50	51	57	57	55	50	46	42
Fri	41	42	44	48	47	45	45	45	46	47	50	52	53	50	46	43	41
Sat	41	41	42	43	43	44	45	46	46	46	46	46	46	46	45	44	41
Sun	41	41	41	42	43	44	45	45	45	45	45	45	44	44	44	44	41