Best Time to Drive from Pasadena to LAX

Right now (2:19 pm PDT): about 37 minutes via I-110 South and I-105 West, usually 36 at this time.

Only 5% 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 Pasadena 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	30	31	33	34	35	35	33	34	34	34	35	38	37	34	33	33	31
Tue	29	31	33	40	39	38	35	34	35	33	36	40	39	35	34	33	30
Wed	29	31	33	35	37	35	34	34	34	34	37	38	37	35	34	33	31
Thu	30	31	33	37	36	36	35	34	35	35	36	39	38	37	33	33	31
Fri	30	31	32	36	35	36	38	37	36	38	38	39	40	37	35	34	30
Sat	30	30	30	33	34	35	37	39	39	39	40	40	40	38	37	35	31
Sun	30	30	31	31	31	32	34	35	36	36	35	35	35	35	34	34	31

About this drive

On weekdays the 29-mile drive from Pasadena to LAX (via I-110 South and I-105 West) usually takes as little as 29 minutes and up to 40 minutes, when leaving around 4 pm on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 7 am or after 9 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 35 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 3 pm on Saturdays (40 minutes).

About 23 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 6 miles surface streets (10 to 16 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from Old Pasadena (East Holly Street) 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 Pasadena to LAX?

On weekdays, leave before 7 am or after 9 pm. The drive usually takes about 29 minutes then, versus up to 40 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Pasadena to LAX?

The 29-mile drive usually takes 29 to 40 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 35 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Pasadena to LAX?

Leaving around 4 pm on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 40 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-110 South in Los Angeles (16 miles) · I-105 West in Los Angeles (7 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

More drives

LAX to Pasadena (return trip) · Pasadena to Santa Monica · Pasadena to Long Beach · Pasadena to West Covina · Pasadena to Burbank · Pasadena to Santa Clarita · Pasadena to Van Nuys · Pasadena to Torrance · Pasadena to Hollywood · Pasadena to Culver City · Pasadena to Whittier · Pasadena to Thousand Oaks

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	30	31	33	34	35	35	33	34	34	34	35	38	37	34	33	33	31
Tue	29	31	33	40	39	38	35	34	35	33	36	40	39	35	34	33	30
Wed	29	31	33	35	37	35	34	34	34	34	37	38	37	35	34	33	31
Thu	30	31	33	37	36	36	35	34	35	35	36	39	38	37	33	33	31
Fri	30	31	32	36	35	36	38	37	36	38	38	39	40	37	35	34	30
Sat	30	30	30	33	34	35	37	39	39	39	40	40	40	38	37	35	31
Sun	30	30	31	31	31	32	34	35	36	36	35	35	35	35	34	34	31

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	30	31	33	34	35	35	33	34	34	34	35	38	37	34	33	33	31
Tue	29	31	33	40	39	38	35	34	35	33	36	40	39	35	34	33	30
Wed	29	31	33	35	37	35	34	34	34	34	37	38	37	35	34	33	31
Thu	30	31	33	37	36	36	35	34	35	35	36	39	38	37	33	33	31
Fri	30	31	32	36	35	36	38	37	36	38	38	39	40	37	35	34	30
Sat	30	30	30	33	34	35	37	39	39	39	40	40	40	38	37	35	31
Sun	30	30	31	31	31	32	34	35	36	36	35	35	35	35	34	34	31

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	30	31	33	34	35	35	33	34	34	34	35	38	37	34	33	33	31
Tue	29	31	33	40	39	38	35	34	35	33	36	40	39	35	34	33	30
Wed	29	31	33	35	37	35	34	34	34	34	37	38	37	35	34	33	31
Thu	30	31	33	37	36	36	35	34	35	35	36	39	38	37	33	33	31
Fri	30	31	32	36	35	36	38	37	36	38	38	39	40	37	35	34	30
Sat	30	30	30	33	34	35	37	39	39	39	40	40	40	38	37	35	31
Sun	30	30	31	31	31	32	34	35	36	36	35	35	35	35	34	34	31