Traffic Predict
Santa Barbara to Irvine: Thanksgiving Traffic 2026
On the Wednesday before Thanksgiving (November 25), the drive from Santa Barbara to Irvine is longest leaving around 3 pm: about 220 minutes, 9 minutes less than on a normal Wednesday. Leave around 9 am (148 minutes) or 9 pm (136 minutes) instead. Coming back on Sunday, November 29, the slowest time to leave is around 2:30 pm (186 minutes); around 6 am it takes 135 minutes.
Day by day
- Tuesday, November 24: fastest leaving around 8 pm (142 minutes), slowest around 2:30 pm (254 minutes, 4 minutes more than a normal Tuesday).
- Wednesday, November 25: fastest leaving around 8 pm (139 minutes), slowest around 3 pm (220 minutes, 9 minutes less than a normal Wednesday).
- Thursday, November 26: fastest leaving around 8:30 am (132 minutes), slowest around 3 pm (223 minutes, 32 minutes less than a normal Thursday).
- Friday, November 27: fastest leaving around 8 pm (137 minutes), slowest around 3 pm (215 minutes, 34 minutes less than a normal Friday).
- Saturday, November 28: fastest leaving around 6 am (135 minutes), slowest around 2 pm (181 minutes, 5 minutes less than a normal Saturday).
- Sunday, November 29: fastest leaving around 6 am (135 minutes), slowest around 2:30 pm (186 minutes, 4 minutes less than 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 | 146 | 169 | 167 | 151 | 151 | 159 | 165 | 172 | 203 | 252 | 245 | 233 | 209 | 182 | 158 | 142 | 139 |
| Wed Nov 25 | 143 | 162 | 159 | 148 | 148 | 153 | 165 | 173 | 188 | 203 | 220 | 205 | 178 | 161 | 151 | 139 | 136 |
| Thu Nov 26 | 134 | 144 | 145 | 135 | 135 | 143 | 152 | 162 | 177 | 209 | 223 | 212 | 188 | 162 | 155 | 148 | 141 |
| Fri Nov 27 | 134 | 141 | 140 | 137 | 139 | 145 | 161 | 170 | 198 | 211 | 215 | 214 | 191 | 165 | 148 | 137 | 133 |
| Sat Nov 28 | 136 | 135 | 138 | 142 | 142 | 147 | 156 | 168 | 177 | 181 | 174 | 170 | 161 | 154 | 150 | 142 | 136 |
| Sun Nov 29 | 136 | 135 | 136 | 138 | 143 | 145 | 155 | 165 | 172 | 180 | 180 | 171 | 167 | 154 | 153 | 143 | 136 |
Minutes for the 134-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.
Santa Barbara to Irvine on a normal day →
Thanksgiving traffic across California · Traffic estimator
Questions
What is the worst time to drive from Santa Barbara to Irvine for Thanksgiving?
On the Wednesday before Thanksgiving (November 25), the drive from Santa Barbara to Irvine is longest leaving around 3 pm: about 220 minutes, 9 minutes less than on a normal Wednesday. Leave around 9 am (148 minutes) or 9 pm (136 minutes) instead. Coming back on Sunday, November 29, the slowest time to leave is around 2:30 pm (186 minutes); around 6 am it takes 135 minutes.
How long does the drive from Santa Barbara to Irvine take over Thanksgiving?
Tuesday, November 24: fastest leaving around 8 pm (142 minutes), slowest around 2:30 pm (254 minutes, 4 minutes more than a normal Tuesday). Wednesday, November 25: fastest leaving around 8 pm (139 minutes), slowest around 3 pm (220 minutes, 9 minutes less than a normal Wednesday). Thursday, November 26: fastest leaving around 8:30 am (132 minutes), slowest around 3 pm (223 minutes, 32 minutes less than a normal Thursday). Friday, November 27: fastest leaving around 8 pm (137 minutes), slowest around 3 pm (215 minutes, 34 minutes less than a normal Friday). Saturday, November 28: fastest leaving around 6 am (135 minutes), slowest around 2 pm (181 minutes, 5 minutes less than a normal Saturday). Sunday, November 29: fastest leaving around 6 am (135 minutes), slowest around 2:30 pm (186 minutes, 4 minutes less than a normal Sunday).