Best Time to Drive from LAX to Irvine

Right now (2:05 pm PST): about 53 minutes via I-405 South, usually 100 at this time.

Only 4% 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 LAX to Irvine 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	42	52	52	45	43	44	45	48	59	66	69	66	63	50	44	42
Tue	41	42	49	60	53	46	46	46	77	91	121	136	129	95	60	44	41
Wed	41	42	52	55	51	46	44	46	68	103	139	133	117	98	63	47	42
Thu	41	42	48	55	48	45	46	48	61	100	126	103	83	63	51	48	41
Fri	40	42	44	51	45	44	44	53	90	98	89	65	46	48	45	44	41
Sat	41	41	40	41	41	42	43	48	50	51	57	49	48	42	42	43	41
Sun	41	41	41	42	42	42	43	43	44	46	45	43	44	43	42	42	41

About this drive

On weekdays the 43-mile drive from LAX to Irvine (via I-405 South) usually takes as little as 40 minutes and up to 146 minutes, when leaving around 3:30 pm on Wednesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 7 am or after 8:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 62 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 3 pm on Saturdays (57 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 12 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to central Irvine (Harvard Avenue) 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 LAX to Irvine?

On weekdays, leave before 7 am or after 8:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 40 minutes then, versus up to 146 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 43-mile drive usually takes 40 to 146 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 62 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from LAX to Irvine?

Leaving around 3:30 pm on Wednesdays is usually slowest, about 146 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-405 South in Los Angeles (19 miles) · I-405 South in Orange County (19 miles) · I-105 East in Los Angeles (1.1 miles)

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

LAX to Irvine over Thanksgiving: when to leave →

More drives

Irvine to LAX (return trip) · LAX to Los Angeles · LAX to Pasadena · LAX to Long Beach · LAX to West Covina · LAX to Burbank · LAX to Glendale · LAX to Santa Clarita · LAX to Van Nuys · LAX to El Monte · LAX to Downey · LAX to Whittier

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	42	52	52	45	43	44	45	48	59	66	69	66	63	50	44	42
Tue	41	42	49	60	53	46	46	46	77	91	121	136	129	95	60	44	41
Wed	41	42	52	55	51	46	44	46	68	103	139	133	117	98	63	47	42
Thu	41	42	48	55	48	45	46	48	61	100	126	103	83	63	51	48	41
Fri	40	42	44	51	45	44	44	53	90	98	89	65	46	48	45	44	41
Sat	41	41	40	41	41	42	43	48	50	51	57	49	48	42	42	43	41
Sun	41	41	41	42	42	42	43	43	44	46	45	43	44	43	42	42	41

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	41	42	52	52	45	43	44	45	48	59	66	69	66	63	50	44	42
Tue	41	42	49	60	53	46	46	46	77	91	121	136	129	95	60	44	41
Wed	41	42	52	55	51	46	44	46	68	103	139	133	117	98	63	47	42
Thu	41	42	48	55	48	45	46	48	61	100	126	103	83	63	51	48	41
Fri	40	42	44	51	45	44	44	53	90	98	89	65	46	48	45	44	41
Sat	41	41	40	41	41	42	43	48	50	51	57	49	48	42	42	43	41
Sun	41	41	41	42	42	42	43	43	44	46	45	43	44	43	42	42	41

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	41	42	52	52	45	43	44	45	48	59	66	69	66	63	50	44	42
Tue	41	42	49	60	53	46	46	46	77	91	121	136	129	95	60	44	41
Wed	41	42	52	55	51	46	44	46	68	103	139	133	117	98	63	47	42
Thu	41	42	48	55	48	45	46	48	61	100	126	103	83	63	51	48	41
Fri	40	42	44	51	45	44	44	53	90	98	89	65	46	48	45	44	41
Sat	41	41	40	41	41	42	43	48	50	51	57	49	48	42	42	43	41
Sun	41	41	41	42	42	42	43	43	44	46	45	43	44	43	42	42	41