Best Time to Drive from LAX to Santa Ana

Right now (10:18 am PDT): about 43 minutes via I-105 East and I-5 South, usually 42 at this time.

None 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 Santa Ana 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	37	42	57	58	47	40	40	40	42	41	41	41	44	39	39	39	38
Tue	37	45	62	64	51	42	42	43	43	41	42	44	46	40	39	40	38
Wed	37	45	63	66	52	45	43	43	42	41	42	44	47	41	39	40	38
Thu	37	44	65	64	53	48	47	46	46	41	41	44	45	39	39	39	38
Fri	37	43	50	49	43	43	42	41	41	42	46	46	46	44	41	40	39
Sat	38	40	40	40	40	40	40	41	40	41	42	42	41	40	39	40	39
Sun	38	38	38	39	39	40	40	41	41	40	41	41	41	41	41	42	38

About this drive

On weekdays the 38-mile drive from LAX to Santa Ana (via I-105 East and I-5 South) usually takes as little as 37 minutes and up to 68 minutes, when leaving around 7:30 am on Wednesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 6 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 42 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 3:30 pm on Saturdays (43 minutes).

About 32 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 6 miles surface streets (10 to 22 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 Santa Ana (Main Street) 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 Santa Ana?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 6 pm. The drive usually takes about 37 minutes then, versus up to 68 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from LAX to Santa Ana?

The 38-mile drive usually takes 37 to 68 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 42 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from LAX to Santa Ana?

Leaving around 7:30 am on Wednesdays is usually slowest, about 68 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-105 East in Los Angeles (16 miles) · I-5 South in Orange County (16 miles)

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

More drives

Santa Ana 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	37	42	57	58	47	40	40	40	42	41	41	41	44	39	39	39	38
Tue	37	45	62	64	51	42	42	43	43	41	42	44	46	40	39	40	38
Wed	37	45	63	66	52	45	43	43	42	41	42	44	47	41	39	40	38
Thu	37	44	65	64	53	48	47	46	46	41	41	44	45	39	39	39	38
Fri	37	43	50	49	43	43	42	41	41	42	46	46	46	44	41	40	39
Sat	38	40	40	40	40	40	40	41	40	41	42	42	41	40	39	40	39
Sun	38	38	38	39	39	40	40	41	41	40	41	41	41	41	41	42	38

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	37	42	57	58	47	40	40	40	42	41	41	41	44	39	39	39	38
Tue	37	45	62	64	51	42	42	43	43	41	42	44	46	40	39	40	38
Wed	37	45	63	66	52	45	43	43	42	41	42	44	47	41	39	40	38
Thu	37	44	65	64	53	48	47	46	46	41	41	44	45	39	39	39	38
Fri	37	43	50	49	43	43	42	41	41	42	46	46	46	44	41	40	39
Sat	38	40	40	40	40	40	40	41	40	41	42	42	41	40	39	40	39
Sun	38	38	38	39	39	40	40	41	41	40	41	41	41	41	41	42	38

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	37	42	57	58	47	40	40	40	42	41	41	41	44	39	39	39	38
Tue	37	45	62	64	51	42	42	43	43	41	42	44	46	40	39	40	38
Wed	37	45	63	66	52	45	43	43	42	41	42	44	47	41	39	40	38
Thu	37	44	65	64	53	48	47	46	46	41	41	44	45	39	39	39	38
Fri	37	43	50	49	43	43	42	41	41	42	46	46	46	44	41	40	39
Sat	38	40	40	40	40	40	40	41	40	41	42	42	41	40	39	40	39
Sun	38	38	38	39	39	40	40	41	41	40	41	41	41	41	41	42	38