Best Time to Drive from Irvine to LAX

Right now (5:35 am PST): about 40 minutes via I-405 North, usually 41 at this time.

Only 6% 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	40	42	44	47	47	46	47	47	51	52	61	61	63	59	46	45	41
Tue	40	42	46	54	54	50	48	52	60	61	62	63	67	68	52	47	42
Wed	40	43	46	56	54	52	52	56	64	65	65	68	69	71	61	56	43
Thu	40	43	45	52	51	48	48	54	58	61	63	68	68	61	53	49	42
Fri	41	42	44	49	47	45	45	58	58	59	61	53	55	52	48	45	41
Sat	41	40	42	42	43	44	46	48	49	50	52	47	47	46	47	45	41
Sun	41	41	41	41	42	43	44	45	45	46	45	45	46	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 71 minutes, when leaving around 6 pm on Wednesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 7 am or after 9 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 55 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 2:30 pm on Saturdays (54 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 23 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 am or after 9 pm. The drive usually takes about 40 minutes then, versus up to 71 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 43-mile drive usually takes 40 to 71 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 55 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Irvine to LAX?

Leaving around 6 pm on Wednesdays is usually slowest, about 71 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

Irvine to LAX over Thanksgiving: when to leave →

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	40	42	44	47	47	46	47	47	51	52	61	61	63	59	46	45	41
Tue	40	42	46	54	54	50	48	52	60	61	62	63	67	68	52	47	42
Wed	40	43	46	56	54	52	52	56	64	65	65	68	69	71	61	56	43
Thu	40	43	45	52	51	48	48	54	58	61	63	68	68	61	53	49	42
Fri	41	42	44	49	47	45	45	58	58	59	61	53	55	52	48	45	41
Sat	41	40	42	42	43	44	46	48	49	50	52	47	47	46	47	45	41
Sun	41	41	41	41	42	43	44	45	45	46	45	45	46	44	44	44	41

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	40	42	44	47	47	46	47	47	51	52	61	61	63	59	46	45	41
Tue	40	42	46	54	54	50	48	52	60	61	62	63	67	68	52	47	42
Wed	40	43	46	56	54	52	52	56	64	65	65	68	69	71	61	56	43
Thu	40	43	45	52	51	48	48	54	58	61	63	68	68	61	53	49	42
Fri	41	42	44	49	47	45	45	58	58	59	61	53	55	52	48	45	41
Sat	41	40	42	42	43	44	46	48	49	50	52	47	47	46	47	45	41
Sun	41	41	41	41	42	43	44	45	45	46	45	45	46	44	44	44	41

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	40	42	44	47	47	46	47	47	51	52	61	61	63	59	46	45	41
Tue	40	42	46	54	54	50	48	52	60	61	62	63	67	68	52	47	42
Wed	40	43	46	56	54	52	52	56	64	65	65	68	69	71	61	56	43
Thu	40	43	45	52	51	48	48	54	58	61	63	68	68	61	53	49	42
Fri	41	42	44	49	47	45	45	58	58	59	61	53	55	52	48	45	41
Sat	41	40	42	42	43	44	46	48	49	50	52	47	47	46	47	45	41
Sun	41	41	41	41	42	43	44	45	45	46	45	45	46	44	44	44	41