Best Time to Drive from Mission Viejo to LAX

Right now (10:18 am PDT): about 56 minutes via I-405 North, usually 54 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 Mission Viejo to LAX 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	52	54	56	55	56	56	57	57	59	62	63	61	55	54	49
Tue	49	50	52	55	56	57	56	56	56	57	59	61	65	64	54	53	49
Wed	49	51	52	58	60	62	62	62	63	63	64	71	71	67	68	66	50
Thu	49	52	53	56	57	58	57	57	59	59	59	66	65	62	57	54	50
Fri	49	50	53	56	55	53	54	54	54	56	59	60	61	59	54	52	49
Sat	49	49	50	51	52	52	53	54	55	55	55	54	55	54	53	53	49
Sun	49	49	49	51	52	53	54	54	53	53	53	54	53	53	53	53	49

About this drive

On weekdays the 54-mile drive from Mission Viejo to LAX (via I-405 North) usually takes as little as 49 minutes and up to 74 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Wednesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 7:30 am or after 8:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 58 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 2 pm on Saturdays (55 minutes).

About 50 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 3 miles surface streets (5 to 8 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Mission Viejo (Chrisanta Drive) to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) 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 Mission Viejo to LAX?

On weekdays, leave before 7:30 am or after 8:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 49 minutes then, versus up to 74 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 54-mile drive usually takes 49 to 74 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 58 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Mission Viejo to LAX?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Wednesdays is usually slowest, about 74 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-405 North in Orange County (26 miles) · I-405 North in Los Angeles (19 miles) · I-5 North in Orange County (5 miles)

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

More drives

LAX to Mission Viejo (return trip) · Mission Viejo to Los Angeles · Mission Viejo to Santa Monica · Mission Viejo to Pasadena · Mission Viejo to Long Beach · Mission Viejo to West Covina · Mission Viejo to Burbank · Mission Viejo to Glendale · Mission Viejo to Van Nuys · Mission Viejo to Torrance · Mission Viejo to Hollywood · Mission Viejo to Culver City

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	52	54	56	55	56	56	57	57	59	62	63	61	55	54	49
Tue	49	50	52	55	56	57	56	56	56	57	59	61	65	64	54	53	49
Wed	49	51	52	58	60	62	62	62	63	63	64	71	71	67	68	66	50
Thu	49	52	53	56	57	58	57	57	59	59	59	66	65	62	57	54	50
Fri	49	50	53	56	55	53	54	54	54	56	59	60	61	59	54	52	49
Sat	49	49	50	51	52	52	53	54	55	55	55	54	55	54	53	53	49
Sun	49	49	49	51	52	53	54	54	53	53	53	54	53	53	53	53	49

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	49	51	52	54	56	55	56	56	57	57	59	62	63	61	55	54	49
Tue	49	50	52	55	56	57	56	56	56	57	59	61	65	64	54	53	49
Wed	49	51	52	58	60	62	62	62	63	63	64	71	71	67	68	66	50
Thu	49	52	53	56	57	58	57	57	59	59	59	66	65	62	57	54	50
Fri	49	50	53	56	55	53	54	54	54	56	59	60	61	59	54	52	49
Sat	49	49	50	51	52	52	53	54	55	55	55	54	55	54	53	53	49
Sun	49	49	49	51	52	53	54	54	53	53	53	54	53	53	53	53	49

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	49	51	52	54	56	55	56	56	57	57	59	62	63	61	55	54	49
Tue	49	50	52	55	56	57	56	56	56	57	59	61	65	64	54	53	49
Wed	49	51	52	58	60	62	62	62	63	63	64	71	71	67	68	66	50
Thu	49	52	53	56	57	58	57	57	59	59	59	66	65	62	57	54	50
Fri	49	50	53	56	55	53	54	54	54	56	59	60	61	59	54	52	49
Sat	49	49	50	51	52	52	53	54	55	55	55	54	55	54	53	53	49
Sun	49	49	49	51	52	53	54	54	53	53	53	54	53	53	53	53	49