Traffic Predict
Los Angeles to San Diego: Thanksgiving Traffic 2026
On the Wednesday before Thanksgiving (November 25), the drive from Los Angeles to San Diego is longest leaving around 2:30 pm: about 156 minutes, 4 minutes more than on a normal Wednesday. Leave around 10 am (124 minutes) or 9 pm (109 minutes) instead. Coming back on Sunday, November 29, the slowest time to leave is around 3 pm (133 minutes); around 6:30 am it takes 108 minutes.
Day by day
- Tuesday, November 24: fastest leaving around 8 pm (121 minutes), slowest around 3:30 pm (180 minutes, about like a normal Tuesday).
- Wednesday, November 25: fastest leaving around 8 pm (116 minutes), slowest around 2:30 pm (156 minutes, 4 minutes more than a normal Wednesday).
- Thursday, November 26: fastest leaving around 6 am (105 minutes), slowest around 3 pm (154 minutes, 27 minutes less than a normal Thursday).
- Friday, November 27: fastest leaving around 6 am (106 minutes), slowest around 2:30 pm (160 minutes, 25 minutes less than a normal Friday).
- Saturday, November 28: fastest leaving around 6 am (109 minutes), slowest around 3 pm (146 minutes, 4 minutes less than a normal Saturday).
- Sunday, November 29: fastest leaving around 6:30 am (108 minutes), slowest around 3 pm (133 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 | 108 | 126 | 152 | 143 | 129 | 126 | 128 | 128 | 136 | 154 | 176 | 177 | 167 | 153 | 136 | 121 | 112 |
| Wed Nov 25 | 107 | 119 | 146 | 136 | 124 | 124 | 128 | 132 | 145 | 153 | 151 | 150 | 137 | 129 | 123 | 116 | 109 |
| Thu Nov 26 | 101 | 105 | 127 | 124 | 121 | 123 | 129 | 128 | 134 | 135 | 154 | 145 | 141 | 139 | 127 | 115 | 110 |
| Fri Nov 27 | 103 | 106 | 115 | 118 | 124 | 127 | 132 | 136 | 145 | 152 | 159 | 150 | 146 | 142 | 124 | 116 | 109 |
| Sat Nov 28 | 108 | 109 | 110 | 116 | 129 | 139 | 142 | 142 | 142 | 144 | 146 | 135 | 125 | 123 | 120 | 118 | 114 |
| Sun Nov 29 | 109 | 109 | 108 | 110 | 114 | 123 | 127 | 132 | 132 | 131 | 133 | 128 | 126 | 123 | 123 | 119 | 111 |
Minutes for the 120-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.
Los Angeles to San Diego on a normal day →
Thanksgiving traffic across California · Traffic estimator
Questions
What is the worst time to drive from Los Angeles to San Diego for Thanksgiving?
On the Wednesday before Thanksgiving (November 25), the drive from Los Angeles to San Diego is longest leaving around 2:30 pm: about 156 minutes, 4 minutes more than on a normal Wednesday. Leave around 10 am (124 minutes) or 9 pm (109 minutes) instead. Coming back on Sunday, November 29, the slowest time to leave is around 3 pm (133 minutes); around 6:30 am it takes 108 minutes.
How long does the drive from Los Angeles to San Diego take over Thanksgiving?
Tuesday, November 24: fastest leaving around 8 pm (121 minutes), slowest around 3:30 pm (180 minutes, about like a normal Tuesday). Wednesday, November 25: fastest leaving around 8 pm (116 minutes), slowest around 2:30 pm (156 minutes, 4 minutes more than a normal Wednesday). Thursday, November 26: fastest leaving around 6 am (105 minutes), slowest around 3 pm (154 minutes, 27 minutes less than a normal Thursday). Friday, November 27: fastest leaving around 6 am (106 minutes), slowest around 2:30 pm (160 minutes, 25 minutes less than a normal Friday). Saturday, November 28: fastest leaving around 6 am (109 minutes), slowest around 3 pm (146 minutes, 4 minutes less than a normal Saturday). Sunday, November 29: fastest leaving around 6:30 am (108 minutes), slowest around 3 pm (133 minutes, about like a normal Sunday).