Best Time to Drive from LAX to Mission Viejo

Right now (4:52 pm PST): about 82 minutes via I-405 South, usually 91 at this time.

Only 15% 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 Mission Viejo 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	49	51	62	61	55	53	53	55	57	68	75	78	76	72	58	53	50
Tue	49	52	59	69	63	56	56	56	86	100	131	146	139	104	68	54	50
Wed	49	52	62	65	61	57	54	56	77	112	148	143	126	107	72	57	50
Thu	49	52	58	65	58	55	55	58	70	109	134	113	91	72	60	57	50
Fri	48	51	55	61	55	53	53	62	97	107	97	73	55	58	54	54	50
Sat	49	50	49	50	50	51	52	56	58	60	65	57	56	51	51	51	50
Sun	49	49	49	50	50	51	52	52	53	54	54	52	53	51	51	51	49

About this drive

On weekdays the 53-mile drive from LAX to Mission Viejo (via I-405 South) usually takes as little as 48 minutes and up to 157 minutes, when leaving around 3:30 pm on Wednesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6:30 am or after 8:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 71 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 3 pm on Saturdays (65 minutes).

About 50 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 3 miles surface streets (4 to 8 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 Mission Viejo (Chrisanta 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 LAX to Mission Viejo?

On weekdays, leave before 6:30 am or after 8:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 48 minutes then, versus up to 157 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from LAX to Mission Viejo?

The 53-mile drive usually takes 48 to 157 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 71 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from LAX to Mission Viejo?

Leaving around 3:30 pm on Wednesdays is usually slowest, about 157 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-405 South in Orange County (26 miles) · I-405 South in Los Angeles (19 miles) · I-5 South in Orange County (4 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 Mission Viejo over Thanksgiving: when to leave →

More drives

Mission Viejo 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	49	51	62	61	55	53	53	55	57	68	75	78	76	72	58	53	50
Tue	49	52	59	69	63	56	56	56	86	100	131	146	139	104	68	54	50
Wed	49	52	62	65	61	57	54	56	77	112	148	143	126	107	72	57	50
Thu	49	52	58	65	58	55	55	58	70	109	134	113	91	72	60	57	50
Fri	48	51	55	61	55	53	53	62	97	107	97	73	55	58	54	54	50
Sat	49	50	49	50	50	51	52	56	58	60	65	57	56	51	51	51	50
Sun	49	49	49	50	50	51	52	52	53	54	54	52	53	51	51	51	49

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	49	51	62	61	55	53	53	55	57	68	75	78	76	72	58	53	50
Tue	49	52	59	69	63	56	56	56	86	100	131	146	139	104	68	54	50
Wed	49	52	62	65	61	57	54	56	77	112	148	143	126	107	72	57	50
Thu	49	52	58	65	58	55	55	58	70	109	134	113	91	72	60	57	50
Fri	48	51	55	61	55	53	53	62	97	107	97	73	55	58	54	54	50
Sat	49	50	49	50	50	51	52	56	58	60	65	57	56	51	51	51	50
Sun	49	49	49	50	50	51	52	52	53	54	54	52	53	51	51	51	49

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	49	51	62	61	55	53	53	55	57	68	75	78	76	72	58	53	50
Tue	49	52	59	69	63	56	56	56	86	100	131	146	139	104	68	54	50
Wed	49	52	62	65	61	57	54	56	77	112	148	143	126	107	72	57	50
Thu	49	52	58	65	58	55	55	58	70	109	134	113	91	72	60	57	50
Fri	48	51	55	61	55	53	53	62	97	107	97	73	55	58	54	54	50
Sat	49	50	49	50	50	51	52	56	58	60	65	57	56	51	51	51	50
Sun	49	49	49	50	50	51	52	52	53	54	54	52	53	51	51	51	49