Best Time to Drive from Irvine to ONT

Right now (7:20 pm PST): about 47 minutes via SR-241 North and SR-261 North, usually 44 at this time.

Only 39% 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	64	53	48	44	44	44	45	49	59	65	63	49	44	42	40
Tue	40	45	71	58	52	47	45	45	46	52	62	67	68	54	45	44	40
Wed	40	44	71	61	50	45	44	44	46	53	59	62	71	55	44	43	40
Thu	40	44	67	54	47	45	45	45	48	53	64	67	69	55	45	43	40
Fri	40	42	45	45	45	45	46	48	58	64	67	66	67	52	45	43	40
Sat	40	41	41	41	42	44	49	45	45	47	52	48	50	46	43	42	40
Sun	39	40	40	40	40	41	41	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 40 minutes and up to 71 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 (52 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 40 minutes then, versus up to 71 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 35-mile drive usually takes 40 to 71 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 71 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	64	53	48	44	44	44	45	49	59	65	63	49	44	42	40
Tue	40	45	71	58	52	47	45	45	46	52	62	67	68	54	45	44	40
Wed	40	44	71	61	50	45	44	44	46	53	59	62	71	55	44	43	40
Thu	40	44	67	54	47	45	45	45	48	53	64	67	69	55	45	43	40
Fri	40	42	45	45	45	45	46	48	58	64	67	66	67	52	45	43	40
Sat	40	41	41	41	42	44	49	45	45	47	52	48	50	46	43	42	40
Sun	39	40	40	40	40	41	41	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	64	53	48	44	44	44	45	49	59	65	63	49	44	42	40
Tue	40	45	71	58	52	47	45	45	46	52	62	67	68	54	45	44	40
Wed	40	44	71	61	50	45	44	44	46	53	59	62	71	55	44	43	40
Thu	40	44	67	54	47	45	45	45	48	53	64	67	69	55	45	43	40
Fri	40	42	45	45	45	45	46	48	58	64	67	66	67	52	45	43	40
Sat	40	41	41	41	42	44	49	45	45	47	52	48	50	46	43	42	40
Sun	39	40	40	40	40	41	41	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	64	53	48	44	44	44	45	49	59	65	63	49	44	42	40
Tue	40	45	71	58	52	47	45	45	46	52	62	67	68	54	45	44	40
Wed	40	44	71	61	50	45	44	44	46	53	59	62	71	55	44	43	40
Thu	40	44	67	54	47	45	45	45	48	53	64	67	69	55	45	43	40
Fri	40	42	45	45	45	45	46	48	58	64	67	66	67	52	45	43	40
Sat	40	41	41	41	42	44	49	45	45	47	52	48	50	46	43	42	40
Sun	39	40	40	40	40	41	41	42	43	42	42	42	41	41	41	42	40