Traffic Predict
LAX to San Diego: Thanksgiving Traffic 2026
On the Wednesday before Thanksgiving (November 25), the drive from LAX to San Diego is longest leaving around 2:30 pm: about 215 minutes, 3 minutes less than on a normal Wednesday. Leave around 9:30 am (122 minutes) or 9 pm (115 minutes) instead. Coming back on Sunday, November 29, the slowest time to leave is around 10:30 am (126 minutes); around 7 am it takes 115 minutes.
Day by day
- Tuesday, November 24: fastest leaving around 8 pm (119 minutes), slowest around 4:30 pm (209 minutes, about like a normal Tuesday).
- Wednesday, November 25: fastest leaving around 6 am (117 minutes), slowest around 2:30 pm (215 minutes, 3 minutes less than a normal Wednesday).
- Thursday, November 26: fastest leaving around 6 am (108 minutes), slowest around 3 pm (175 minutes, 31 minutes less than a normal Thursday).
- Friday, November 27: fastest leaving around 7 am (108 minutes), slowest around 2 pm (171 minutes, 36 minutes less than a normal Friday).
- Saturday, November 28: fastest leaving around 6:30 am (114 minutes), slowest around 3 pm (147 minutes, 5 minutes less than a normal Saturday).
- Sunday, November 29: fastest leaving around 7 am (115 minutes), slowest around 10:30 am (126 minutes, about like a normal Sunday).
Drive time by departure
| Leave | 5am | 6am | 7am | 8am | 9am | 10am | 11am | 12pm | 1pm | 2pm | 3pm | 4pm | 5pm | 6pm | 7pm | 8pm | 9pm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tue Nov 24 | 116 | 121 | 128 | 132 | 130 | 126 | 127 | 127 | 174 | 197 | 204 | 208 | 199 | 165 | 132 | 119 | 116 |
| Wed Nov 25 | 114 | 117 | 125 | 127 | 122 | 124 | 127 | 134 | 185 | 206 | 213 | 195 | 180 | 163 | 132 | 118 | 115 |
| Thu Nov 26 | 109 | 108 | 117 | 117 | 119 | 121 | 122 | 125 | 136 | 167 | 175 | 149 | 131 | 122 | 118 | 119 | 113 |
| Fri Nov 27 | 111 | 109 | 108 | 115 | 119 | 125 | 129 | 141 | 165 | 171 | 160 | 133 | 115 | 117 | 114 | 114 | 113 |
| Sat Nov 28 | 115 | 115 | 114 | 118 | 128 | 137 | 137 | 141 | 141 | 140 | 147 | 130 | 123 | 116 | 117 | 116 | 115 |
| Sun Nov 29 | 115 | 115 | 115 | 116 | 117 | 121 | 125 | 123 | 124 | 125 | 124 | 121 | 118 | 118 | 118 | 115 | 114 |
Minutes for the 124-mile drive, streets included (hover a cell for a normal day). Estimated from this trip's typical speeds and how much each freeway on it sped up or slowed down on past Thanksgivings (2016 onward, leaving out 2020), hour by hour. A crash or storm can change any single day.
LAX to San Diego on a normal day →
Thanksgiving traffic across California · Traffic estimator
Questions
What is the worst time to drive from LAX to San Diego for Thanksgiving?
On the Wednesday before Thanksgiving (November 25), the drive from LAX to San Diego is longest leaving around 2:30 pm: about 215 minutes, 3 minutes less than on a normal Wednesday. Leave around 9:30 am (122 minutes) or 9 pm (115 minutes) instead. Coming back on Sunday, November 29, the slowest time to leave is around 10:30 am (126 minutes); around 7 am it takes 115 minutes.
How long does the drive from LAX to San Diego take over Thanksgiving?
Tuesday, November 24: fastest leaving around 8 pm (119 minutes), slowest around 4:30 pm (209 minutes, about like a normal Tuesday). Wednesday, November 25: fastest leaving around 6 am (117 minutes), slowest around 2:30 pm (215 minutes, 3 minutes less than a normal Wednesday). Thursday, November 26: fastest leaving around 6 am (108 minutes), slowest around 3 pm (175 minutes, 31 minutes less than a normal Thursday). Friday, November 27: fastest leaving around 7 am (108 minutes), slowest around 2 pm (171 minutes, 36 minutes less than a normal Friday). Saturday, November 28: fastest leaving around 6:30 am (114 minutes), slowest around 3 pm (147 minutes, 5 minutes less than a normal Saturday). Sunday, November 29: fastest leaving around 7 am (115 minutes), slowest around 10:30 am (126 minutes, about like a normal Sunday).