Traffic Predict
San Diego to LAX: Thanksgiving Traffic 2026
On the Wednesday before Thanksgiving (November 25), the drive from San Diego to LAX is longest leaving around 3:30 pm: about 182 minutes, 3 minutes less than on a normal Wednesday. Leave around 9 am (130 minutes) or 9 pm (113 minutes) instead. Coming back on Sunday, November 29, the slowest time to leave is around 12:30 pm (138 minutes); around 6 am it takes 115 minutes.
Day by day
- Tuesday, November 24: fastest leaving around 6:30 am (115 minutes), slowest around 4 pm (183 minutes, 5 minutes more than a normal Tuesday).
- Wednesday, November 25: fastest leaving around 7:30 am (116 minutes), slowest around 3:30 pm (182 minutes, 3 minutes less than a normal Wednesday).
- Thursday, November 26: fastest leaving around 7:30 am (107 minutes), slowest around 12 pm (156 minutes, about like a normal Thursday).
- Friday, November 27: fastest leaving around 6 pm (112 minutes), slowest around 12 pm (150 minutes, 5 minutes less than a normal Friday).
- Saturday, November 28: fastest leaving around 6 am (115 minutes), slowest around 1 pm (151 minutes, 4 minutes less than a normal Saturday).
- Sunday, November 29: fastest leaving around 6 am (115 minutes), slowest around 12:30 pm (138 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 | 115 | 116 | 121 | 128 | 131 | 132 | 154 | 160 | 161 | 161 | 171 | 183 | 164 | 136 | 129 | 118 | 115 |
| Wed Nov 25 | 115 | 116 | 121 | 118 | 130 | 137 | 164 | 170 | 171 | 172 | 180 | 179 | 166 | 140 | 132 | 117 | 113 |
| Thu Nov 26 | 112 | 110 | 108 | 110 | 116 | 123 | 146 | 156 | 152 | 146 | 151 | 146 | 128 | 120 | 119 | 116 | 112 |
| Fri Nov 27 | 113 | 113 | 115 | 113 | 116 | 120 | 148 | 150 | 148 | 142 | 122 | 122 | 115 | 112 | 118 | 116 | 112 |
| Sat Nov 28 | 114 | 115 | 116 | 116 | 120 | 128 | 137 | 140 | 151 | 135 | 129 | 126 | 123 | 123 | 122 | 118 | 114 |
| Sun Nov 29 | 115 | 115 | 116 | 117 | 120 | 125 | 136 | 137 | 137 | 133 | 129 | 126 | 124 | 122 | 122 | 118 | 113 |
Minutes for the 125-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.
San Diego to LAX on a normal day →
Thanksgiving traffic across California · Traffic estimator
Questions
What is the worst time to drive from San Diego to LAX for Thanksgiving?
On the Wednesday before Thanksgiving (November 25), the drive from San Diego to LAX is longest leaving around 3:30 pm: about 182 minutes, 3 minutes less than on a normal Wednesday. Leave around 9 am (130 minutes) or 9 pm (113 minutes) instead. Coming back on Sunday, November 29, the slowest time to leave is around 12:30 pm (138 minutes); around 6 am it takes 115 minutes.
How long does the drive from San Diego to LAX take over Thanksgiving?
Tuesday, November 24: fastest leaving around 6:30 am (115 minutes), slowest around 4 pm (183 minutes, 5 minutes more than a normal Tuesday). Wednesday, November 25: fastest leaving around 7:30 am (116 minutes), slowest around 3:30 pm (182 minutes, 3 minutes less than a normal Wednesday). Thursday, November 26: fastest leaving around 7:30 am (107 minutes), slowest around 12 pm (156 minutes, about like a normal Thursday). Friday, November 27: fastest leaving around 6 pm (112 minutes), slowest around 12 pm (150 minutes, 5 minutes less than a normal Friday). Saturday, November 28: fastest leaving around 6 am (115 minutes), slowest around 1 pm (151 minutes, 4 minutes less than a normal Saturday). Sunday, November 29: fastest leaving around 6 am (115 minutes), slowest around 12:30 pm (138 minutes, about like a normal Sunday).