Traffic Predict
Palm Springs to LAX: Thanksgiving Traffic 2026
On the Wednesday before Thanksgiving (November 25), the drive from Palm Springs to LAX is longest leaving around 7 am: about 146 minutes, 17 minutes less than on a normal Wednesday. Leave around 12:30 pm (131 minutes) or 9 pm (116 minutes) instead. Coming back on Sunday, November 29, the slowest time to leave is around 6:30 pm (136 minutes); around 6 am it takes 119 minutes.
Day by day
- Tuesday, November 24: fastest leaving around 8 pm (121 minutes), slowest around 7 am (152 minutes, 11 minutes less than a normal Tuesday).
- Wednesday, November 25: fastest leaving around 8 pm (120 minutes), slowest around 7 am (146 minutes, 17 minutes less than a normal Wednesday).
- Thursday, November 26: fastest leaving around 5:30 pm (115 minutes), slowest around 6 am (131 minutes, 23 minutes less than a normal Thursday).
- Friday, November 27: fastest leaving around 8 pm (117 minutes), slowest around 4 pm (130 minutes, 11 minutes less than a normal Friday).
- Saturday, November 28: fastest leaving around 7 am (119 minutes), slowest around 12:30 pm (130 minutes, about like a normal Saturday).
- Sunday, November 29: fastest leaving around 6 am (119 minutes), slowest around 6:30 pm (136 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 | 140 | 149 | 152 | 141 | 136 | 135 | 134 | 132 | 133 | 133 | 131 | 138 | 135 | 126 | 124 | 121 | 120 |
| Wed Nov 25 | 133 | 143 | 146 | 141 | 133 | 134 | 132 | 132 | 131 | 131 | 127 | 129 | 135 | 135 | 132 | 120 | 116 |
| Thu Nov 26 | 122 | 131 | 129 | 123 | 120 | 118 | 119 | 119 | 118 | 117 | 116 | 119 | 117 | 116 | 124 | 117 | 115 |
| Fri Nov 27 | 115 | 118 | 121 | 121 | 121 | 123 | 123 | 124 | 123 | 124 | 121 | 130 | 127 | 126 | 128 | 117 | 116 |
| Sat Nov 28 | 119 | 119 | 119 | 119 | 121 | 123 | 127 | 129 | 129 | 130 | 128 | 128 | 127 | 123 | 122 | 120 | 119 |
| Sun Nov 29 | 119 | 119 | 120 | 121 | 123 | 124 | 127 | 128 | 128 | 124 | 124 | 122 | 125 | 130 | 135 | 120 | 119 |
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.
Palm Springs to LAX on a normal day →
Thanksgiving traffic across California · Traffic estimator
Questions
What is the worst time to drive from Palm Springs to LAX for Thanksgiving?
On the Wednesday before Thanksgiving (November 25), the drive from Palm Springs to LAX is longest leaving around 7 am: about 146 minutes, 17 minutes less than on a normal Wednesday. Leave around 12:30 pm (131 minutes) or 9 pm (116 minutes) instead. Coming back on Sunday, November 29, the slowest time to leave is around 6:30 pm (136 minutes); around 6 am it takes 119 minutes.
How long does the drive from Palm Springs to LAX take over Thanksgiving?
Tuesday, November 24: fastest leaving around 8 pm (121 minutes), slowest around 7 am (152 minutes, 11 minutes less than a normal Tuesday). Wednesday, November 25: fastest leaving around 8 pm (120 minutes), slowest around 7 am (146 minutes, 17 minutes less than a normal Wednesday). Thursday, November 26: fastest leaving around 5:30 pm (115 minutes), slowest around 6 am (131 minutes, 23 minutes less than a normal Thursday). Friday, November 27: fastest leaving around 8 pm (117 minutes), slowest around 4 pm (130 minutes, 11 minutes less than a normal Friday). Saturday, November 28: fastest leaving around 7 am (119 minutes), slowest around 12:30 pm (130 minutes, about like a normal Saturday). Sunday, November 29: fastest leaving around 6 am (119 minutes), slowest around 6:30 pm (136 minutes, about like a normal Sunday).