Traffic Predict
LAX to Santa Barbara: Thanksgiving Traffic 2026
On the Wednesday before Thanksgiving (November 25), the drive from LAX to Santa Barbara is longest leaving around 2:30 pm: about 161 minutes, about the same as a normal Wednesday. Leave around 9 am (120 minutes) or 9 pm (105 minutes) instead. Coming back on Sunday, November 29, the slowest time to leave is around 1 pm (124 minutes); around 7 am it takes 102 minutes.
Day by day
- Tuesday, November 24: fastest leaving around 8 pm (110 minutes), slowest around 3:30 pm (168 minutes, 4 minutes more than a normal Tuesday).
- Wednesday, November 25: fastest leaving around 7:30 pm (108 minutes), slowest around 2:30 pm (161 minutes, about like a normal Wednesday).
- Thursday, November 26: fastest leaving around 8:30 am (103 minutes), slowest around 4 pm (137 minutes, 29 minutes less than a normal Thursday).
- Friday, November 27: fastest leaving around 6:30 pm (102 minutes), slowest around 2:30 pm (138 minutes, 26 minutes less than a normal Friday).
- Saturday, November 28: fastest leaving around 6:30 am (104 minutes), slowest around 10 am (132 minutes, 4 minutes less than a normal Saturday).
- Sunday, November 29: fastest leaving around 7 am (102 minutes), slowest around 1 pm (124 minutes, 3 minutes less than 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 | 105 | 122 | 122 | 120 | 122 | 126 | 130 | 132 | 141 | 158 | 166 | 162 | 148 | 130 | 118 | 110 | 105 |
| Wed Nov 25 | 103 | 120 | 119 | 118 | 120 | 124 | 134 | 136 | 144 | 160 | 160 | 152 | 138 | 123 | 111 | 111 | 105 |
| Thu Nov 26 | 99 | 108 | 108 | 106 | 104 | 109 | 116 | 120 | 121 | 129 | 132 | 137 | 124 | 113 | 109 | 111 | 104 |
| Fri Nov 27 | 100 | 110 | 105 | 107 | 112 | 121 | 127 | 124 | 126 | 137 | 134 | 126 | 115 | 105 | 104 | 105 | 101 |
| Sat Nov 28 | 103 | 104 | 104 | 106 | 116 | 132 | 132 | 128 | 128 | 122 | 120 | 119 | 114 | 111 | 114 | 111 | 104 |
| Sun Nov 29 | 103 | 103 | 102 | 104 | 106 | 114 | 121 | 123 | 124 | 120 | 116 | 112 | 107 | 107 | 108 | 106 | 102 |
Minutes for the 96-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 Santa Barbara on a normal day →
Thanksgiving traffic across California · Traffic estimator
Questions
What is the worst time to drive from LAX to Santa Barbara for Thanksgiving?
On the Wednesday before Thanksgiving (November 25), the drive from LAX to Santa Barbara is longest leaving around 2:30 pm: about 161 minutes, about the same as a normal Wednesday. Leave around 9 am (120 minutes) or 9 pm (105 minutes) instead. Coming back on Sunday, November 29, the slowest time to leave is around 1 pm (124 minutes); around 7 am it takes 102 minutes.
How long does the drive from LAX to Santa Barbara take over Thanksgiving?
Tuesday, November 24: fastest leaving around 8 pm (110 minutes), slowest around 3:30 pm (168 minutes, 4 minutes more than a normal Tuesday). Wednesday, November 25: fastest leaving around 7:30 pm (108 minutes), slowest around 2:30 pm (161 minutes, about like a normal Wednesday). Thursday, November 26: fastest leaving around 8:30 am (103 minutes), slowest around 4 pm (137 minutes, 29 minutes less than a normal Thursday). Friday, November 27: fastest leaving around 6:30 pm (102 minutes), slowest around 2:30 pm (138 minutes, 26 minutes less than a normal Friday). Saturday, November 28: fastest leaving around 6:30 am (104 minutes), slowest around 10 am (132 minutes, 4 minutes less than a normal Saturday). Sunday, November 29: fastest leaving around 7 am (102 minutes), slowest around 1 pm (124 minutes, 3 minutes less than a normal Sunday).