Best Time to Drive from Irvine to ONT

Right now (2:33 pm PDT): about 43 minutes via SR-241 North and SR-261 North, usually 48 at this time.

Only 14% 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 ONT 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	44	66	52	48	44	44	45	46	50	59	65	64	48	44	42	40
Tue	40	44	69	57	50	45	45	45	46	52	63	69	68	53	45	43	40
Wed	40	45	71	61	51	45	45	44	46	53	60	62	72	55	44	43	40
Thu	40	44	69	56	47	45	44	45	48	53	65	68	69	54	46	44	40
Fri	39	41	45	45	45	45	46	49	59	66	70	66	67	51	45	43	40
Sat	40	41	41	41	43	45	48	46	46	47	53	49	51	46	43	42	40
Sun	40	40	40	40	40	41	42	42	43	42	42	42	41	41	41	42	40

About this drive

On weekdays the 35-mile drive from Irvine to ONT (via SR-241 North and SR-261 North) usually takes as little as 39 minutes and up to 72 minutes, when leaving around 5 pm on Wednesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 8 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 48 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 4:30 pm on Saturdays (54 minutes).

About 26 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 10 miles surface streets (17 to 28 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 Ontario International Airport (ONT) (Tower Drive) 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 ONT?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 8 pm. The drive usually takes about 39 minutes then, versus up to 72 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 35-mile drive usually takes 39 to 72 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 48 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Irvine to ONT?

Leaving around 5 pm on Wednesdays is usually slowest, about 72 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

SR-241 North in Orange County (7 miles) · SR-261 North in Orange County (6 miles) · SR-71 South in Orange County (5 miles) · SR-91 East in Orange County (4 miles) · SR-60 East in Inland Empire (4 miles)

Orange County traffic right now · Orange County traffic tomorrow · Inland Empire traffic right now · Inland Empire traffic tomorrow

More drives

ONT 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 LAX

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	44	66	52	48	44	44	45	46	50	59	65	64	48	44	42	40
Tue	40	44	69	57	50	45	45	45	46	52	63	69	68	53	45	43	40
Wed	40	45	71	61	51	45	45	44	46	53	60	62	72	55	44	43	40
Thu	40	44	69	56	47	45	44	45	48	53	65	68	69	54	46	44	40
Fri	39	41	45	45	45	45	46	49	59	66	70	66	67	51	45	43	40
Sat	40	41	41	41	43	45	48	46	46	47	53	49	51	46	43	42	40
Sun	40	40	40	40	40	41	42	42	43	42	42	42	41	41	41	42	40

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	40	44	66	52	48	44	44	45	46	50	59	65	64	48	44	42	40
Tue	40	44	69	57	50	45	45	45	46	52	63	69	68	53	45	43	40
Wed	40	45	71	61	51	45	45	44	46	53	60	62	72	55	44	43	40
Thu	40	44	69	56	47	45	44	45	48	53	65	68	69	54	46	44	40
Fri	39	41	45	45	45	45	46	49	59	66	70	66	67	51	45	43	40
Sat	40	41	41	41	43	45	48	46	46	47	53	49	51	46	43	42	40
Sun	40	40	40	40	40	41	42	42	43	42	42	42	41	41	41	42	40

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	40	44	66	52	48	44	44	45	46	50	59	65	64	48	44	42	40
Tue	40	44	69	57	50	45	45	45	46	52	63	69	68	53	45	43	40
Wed	40	45	71	61	51	45	45	44	46	53	60	62	72	55	44	43	40
Thu	40	44	69	56	47	45	44	45	48	53	65	68	69	54	46	44	40
Fri	39	41	45	45	45	45	46	49	59	66	70	66	67	51	45	43	40
Sat	40	41	41	41	43	45	48	46	46	47	53	49	51	46	43	42	40
Sun	40	40	40	40	40	41	42	42	43	42	42	42	41	41	41	42	40