Traffic Predict
San Diego to Los Angeles: Thanksgiving Traffic 2026
On the Wednesday before Thanksgiving (November 25), the drive from San Diego to Los Angeles is longest leaving around 3:30 pm: about 159 minutes, 3 minutes more than on a normal Wednesday. Leave around 9 am (122 minutes) or 9 pm (106 minutes) instead. Coming back on Sunday, November 29, the slowest time to leave is around 12:30 pm (137 minutes); around 6 am it takes 109 minutes.
Day by day
- Tuesday, November 24: fastest leaving around 8 pm (113 minutes), slowest around 4 pm (156 minutes, 4 minutes more than a normal Tuesday).
- Wednesday, November 25: fastest leaving around 8 pm (110 minutes), slowest around 3:30 pm (159 minutes, 3 minutes more than a normal Wednesday).
- Thursday, November 26: fastest leaving around 6 am (109 minutes), slowest around 3:30 pm (132 minutes, 23 minutes less than a normal Thursday).
- Friday, November 27: fastest leaving around 6 am (109 minutes), slowest around 3:30 pm (133 minutes, 22 minutes less than a normal Friday).
- Saturday, November 28: fastest leaving around 6 am (111 minutes), slowest around 1:30 pm (133 minutes, about like a normal Saturday).
- Sunday, November 29: fastest leaving around 6 am (109 minutes), slowest around 12:30 pm (137 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 | 116 | 121 | 123 | 126 | 127 | 129 | 130 | 132 | 135 | 139 | 153 | 156 | 150 | 132 | 122 | 113 | 109 |
| Wed Nov 25 | 114 | 116 | 117 | 119 | 122 | 127 | 131 | 136 | 138 | 147 | 157 | 155 | 142 | 122 | 115 | 110 | 106 |
| Thu Nov 26 | 109 | 109 | 111 | 111 | 115 | 122 | 124 | 125 | 124 | 122 | 129 | 129 | 127 | 115 | 114 | 110 | 105 |
| Fri Nov 27 | 111 | 109 | 109 | 112 | 117 | 119 | 121 | 124 | 124 | 126 | 129 | 130 | 121 | 111 | 114 | 110 | 106 |
| Sat Nov 28 | 110 | 111 | 112 | 113 | 120 | 125 | 131 | 132 | 132 | 131 | 130 | 127 | 122 | 121 | 119 | 112 | 109 |
| Sun Nov 29 | 109 | 109 | 110 | 114 | 116 | 125 | 134 | 137 | 137 | 135 | 132 | 128 | 128 | 124 | 120 | 113 | 107 |
Minutes for the 121-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 Los Angeles on a normal day →
Thanksgiving traffic across California · Traffic estimator
Questions
What is the worst time to drive from San Diego to Los Angeles for Thanksgiving?
On the Wednesday before Thanksgiving (November 25), the drive from San Diego to Los Angeles is longest leaving around 3:30 pm: about 159 minutes, 3 minutes more than on a normal Wednesday. Leave around 9 am (122 minutes) or 9 pm (106 minutes) instead. Coming back on Sunday, November 29, the slowest time to leave is around 12:30 pm (137 minutes); around 6 am it takes 109 minutes.
How long does the drive from San Diego to Los Angeles take over Thanksgiving?
Tuesday, November 24: fastest leaving around 8 pm (113 minutes), slowest around 4 pm (156 minutes, 4 minutes more than a normal Tuesday). Wednesday, November 25: fastest leaving around 8 pm (110 minutes), slowest around 3:30 pm (159 minutes, 3 minutes more than a normal Wednesday). Thursday, November 26: fastest leaving around 6 am (109 minutes), slowest around 3:30 pm (132 minutes, 23 minutes less than a normal Thursday). Friday, November 27: fastest leaving around 6 am (109 minutes), slowest around 3:30 pm (133 minutes, 22 minutes less than a normal Friday). Saturday, November 28: fastest leaving around 6 am (111 minutes), slowest around 1:30 pm (133 minutes, about like a normal Saturday). Sunday, November 29: fastest leaving around 6 am (109 minutes), slowest around 12:30 pm (137 minutes, about like a normal Sunday).