Best Time to Drive from Pasadena to LAX

On weekdays the 29-mile drive from Pasadena to LAX (via I-110 South and I-105 West) usually takes as little as 30 minutes and up to 55 minutes, when leaving around 5 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6:30 am or after 8 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 37 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 3:30 pm on Saturdays (42 minutes).

⇄ Reverse trip: LAX to Pasadena

Freeway, about 23 miles: times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors. Surface streets, about 6 miles: 10 to 15 minutes on weekdays, estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time (we don't have street sensors yet). Drive times are measured from Old Pasadena (East Holly Street) to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) along the route shown. Starting or ending elsewhere in a big city can add or save several minutes.

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	32	35	38	36	35	34	34	34	38	42	45	47	42	34	31	30
Tue	30	32	36	41	38	36	35	34	35	38	44	48	51	45	36	31	30
Wed	30	32	36	40	38	36	35	35	36	39	45	50	53	47	37	32	30
Thu	30	32	36	41	38	36	35	35	38	41	48	52	55	49	39	32	30
Fri	30	32	34	37	35	36	37	39	43	48	53	54	53	46	37	32	30
Sat	30	30	31	31	32	33	34	37	39	41	42	41	40	35	32	31	30
Sun	30	30	30	30	31	31	32	33	34	35	35	34	33	32	32	32	31

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 6:30 am or after 8 pm. The drive usually takes about 30 minutes then, versus up to 55 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 29-mile drive usually takes 30 to 55 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 37 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Pasadena to LAX?

Leaving around 5 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 55 minutes.

Estimate this drive for any day and departure time →

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	32	35	38	36	35	34	34	34	38	42	45	47	42	34	31	30
Tue	30	32	36	41	38	36	35	34	35	38	44	48	51	45	36	31	30
Wed	30	32	36	40	38	36	35	35	36	39	45	50	53	47	37	32	30
Thu	30	32	36	41	38	36	35	35	38	41	48	52	55	49	39	32	30
Fri	30	32	34	37	35	36	37	39	43	48	53	54	53	46	37	32	30
Sat	30	30	31	31	32	33	34	37	39	41	42	41	40	35	32	31	30
Sun	30	30	30	30	31	31	32	33	34	35	35	34	33	32	32	32	31

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	30	32	35	38	36	35	34	34	34	38	42	45	47	42	34	31	30
Tue	30	32	36	41	38	36	35	34	35	38	44	48	51	45	36	31	30
Wed	30	32	36	40	38	36	35	35	36	39	45	50	53	47	37	32	30
Thu	30	32	36	41	38	36	35	35	38	41	48	52	55	49	39	32	30
Fri	30	32	34	37	35	36	37	39	43	48	53	54	53	46	37	32	30
Sat	30	30	31	31	32	33	34	37	39	41	42	41	40	35	32	31	30
Sun	30	30	30	30	31	31	32	33	34	35	35	34	33	32	32	32	31

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	30	32	35	38	36	35	34	34	34	38	42	45	47	42	34	31	30
Tue	30	32	36	41	38	36	35	34	35	38	44	48	51	45	36	31	30
Wed	30	32	36	40	38	36	35	35	36	39	45	50	53	47	37	32	30
Thu	30	32	36	41	38	36	35	35	38	41	48	52	55	49	39	32	30
Fri	30	32	34	37	35	36	37	39	43	48	53	54	53	46	37	32	30
Sat	30	30	31	31	32	33	34	37	39	41	42	41	40	35	32	31	30
Sun	30	30	30	30	31	31	32	33	34	35	35	34	33	32	32	32	31