Best Time to Drive from Santa Ana to LAX

Right now (3:03 pm PDT): about 44 minutes via I-5 North and I-105 West, usually 47 at this time.

Only 26% 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 Santa Ana 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	37	38	41	43	43	39	39	39	40	40	43	43	44	43	39	38	37
Tue	37	38	42	44	42	39	39	40	40	40	42	45	48	44	40	38	38
Wed	37	38	41	42	43	41	40	41	40	40	43	47	48	46	41	38	38
Thu	37	38	41	42	41	40	40	40	40	40	44	48	48	45	42	39	38
Fri	37	38	39	40	40	40	40	40	41	42	47	46	50	48	41	39	37
Sat	37	38	38	38	38	38	39	39	39	39	40	41	42	39	39	39	38
Sun	37	38	38	38	38	38	39	39	39	39	40	40	39	39	40	40	38

About this drive

On weekdays the 39-mile drive from Santa Ana to LAX (via I-5 North and I-105 West) usually takes as little as 37 minutes and up to 50 minutes, when leaving around 5 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 7 am or after 7 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 40 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 5 pm on Saturdays (42 minutes).

About 35 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 4 miles surface streets (7 to 11 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Santa Ana (Main 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 Santa Ana to LAX?

On weekdays, leave before 7 am or after 7 pm. The drive usually takes about 37 minutes then, versus up to 50 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Santa Ana to LAX?

The 39-mile drive usually takes 37 to 50 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 40 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Santa Ana to LAX?

Leaving around 5 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 50 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 North in Orange County (18 miles) · I-105 West in Los Angeles (17 miles)

Orange County traffic right now · Orange County traffic tomorrow · Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

More drives

LAX to Santa Ana (return trip) · Santa Ana to Los Angeles · Santa Ana to Santa Monica · Santa Ana to Pasadena · Santa Ana to Long Beach · Santa Ana to West Covina · Santa Ana to Burbank · Santa Ana to Glendale · Santa Ana to Santa Clarita · Santa Ana to Van Nuys · Santa Ana to Torrance · Santa Ana to Hollywood

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	37	38	41	43	43	39	39	39	40	40	43	43	44	43	39	38	37
Tue	37	38	42	44	42	39	39	40	40	40	42	45	48	44	40	38	38
Wed	37	38	41	42	43	41	40	41	40	40	43	47	48	46	41	38	38
Thu	37	38	41	42	41	40	40	40	40	40	44	48	48	45	42	39	38
Fri	37	38	39	40	40	40	40	40	41	42	47	46	50	48	41	39	37
Sat	37	38	38	38	38	38	39	39	39	39	40	41	42	39	39	39	38
Sun	37	38	38	38	38	38	39	39	39	39	40	40	39	39	40	40	38

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	37	38	41	43	43	39	39	39	40	40	43	43	44	43	39	38	37
Tue	37	38	42	44	42	39	39	40	40	40	42	45	48	44	40	38	38
Wed	37	38	41	42	43	41	40	41	40	40	43	47	48	46	41	38	38
Thu	37	38	41	42	41	40	40	40	40	40	44	48	48	45	42	39	38
Fri	37	38	39	40	40	40	40	40	41	42	47	46	50	48	41	39	37
Sat	37	38	38	38	38	38	39	39	39	39	40	41	42	39	39	39	38
Sun	37	38	38	38	38	38	39	39	39	39	40	40	39	39	40	40	38

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	37	38	41	43	43	39	39	39	40	40	43	43	44	43	39	38	37
Tue	37	38	42	44	42	39	39	40	40	40	42	45	48	44	40	38	38
Wed	37	38	41	42	43	41	40	41	40	40	43	47	48	46	41	38	38
Thu	37	38	41	42	41	40	40	40	40	40	44	48	48	45	42	39	38
Fri	37	38	39	40	40	40	40	40	41	42	47	46	50	48	41	39	37
Sat	37	38	38	38	38	38	39	39	39	39	40	41	42	39	39	39	38
Sun	37	38	38	38	38	38	39	39	39	39	40	40	39	39	40	40	38