Best Time to Drive from Santa Barbara to LAX

Right now (5:50 pm PST): about 197 minutes via US-101 South and I-405 South, usually 162 at this time.

Only 16% 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 Barbara 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	102	103	107	114	111	112	119	128	131	139	154	157	143	120	108	103	103
Tue	102	103	109	132	116	114	122	137	145	162	207	211	180	142	118	104	103
Wed	102	102	111	130	116	115	123	137	159	182	219	224	187	152	126	105	102
Thu	102	103	109	130	115	119	128	137	154	183	222	228	208	173	136	108	103
Fri	102	102	105	113	113	123	141	153	166	189	208	216	192	162	133	109	101
Sat	102	102	103	104	108	112	122	132	140	144	144	136	128	120	114	106	102
Sun	102	102	102	103	104	107	117	126	131	131	130	124	120	116	112	107	102

About this drive

On weekdays the 96-mile drive from Santa Barbara to LAX (via US-101 South and I-405 South) usually takes as little as 101 minutes and up to 231 minutes, when leaving around 3:30 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 7:30 am or after 8 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 146 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 2:30 pm on Saturdays (145 minutes).

About 68 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 28 miles surface streets (43 to 69 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Santa Barbara (Anacapa 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 Barbara to LAX?

On weekdays, leave before 7:30 am or after 8 pm. The drive usually takes about 101 minutes then, versus up to 231 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 96-mile drive usually takes 101 to 231 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 146 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Santa Barbara to LAX?

Leaving around 3:30 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 231 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

US-101 South in Los Angeles (40 miles) · I-405 South in Los Angeles (14 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

Santa Barbara to LAX over Thanksgiving: when to leave →

More drives

LAX to Santa Barbara (return trip) · Santa Barbara to Los Angeles · Santa Barbara to Santa Monica · Santa Barbara to Pasadena · Santa Barbara to Van Nuys · Santa Barbara to Irvine · Santa Barbara to Thousand Oaks · Santa Barbara to Oxnard · Santa Barbara to Ventura · Santa Barbara to Simi Valley · Santa Barbara to Porter Ranch · Santa Barbara to Torrance

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	102	103	107	114	111	112	119	128	131	139	154	157	143	120	108	103	103
Tue	102	103	109	132	116	114	122	137	145	162	207	211	180	142	118	104	103
Wed	102	102	111	130	116	115	123	137	159	182	219	224	187	152	126	105	102
Thu	102	103	109	130	115	119	128	137	154	183	222	228	208	173	136	108	103
Fri	102	102	105	113	113	123	141	153	166	189	208	216	192	162	133	109	101
Sat	102	102	103	104	108	112	122	132	140	144	144	136	128	120	114	106	102
Sun	102	102	102	103	104	107	117	126	131	131	130	124	120	116	112	107	102

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	102	103	107	114	111	112	119	128	131	139	154	157	143	120	108	103	103
Tue	102	103	109	132	116	114	122	137	145	162	207	211	180	142	118	104	103
Wed	102	102	111	130	116	115	123	137	159	182	219	224	187	152	126	105	102
Thu	102	103	109	130	115	119	128	137	154	183	222	228	208	173	136	108	103
Fri	102	102	105	113	113	123	141	153	166	189	208	216	192	162	133	109	101
Sat	102	102	103	104	108	112	122	132	140	144	144	136	128	120	114	106	102
Sun	102	102	102	103	104	107	117	126	131	131	130	124	120	116	112	107	102

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	102	103	107	114	111	112	119	128	131	139	154	157	143	120	108	103	103
Tue	102	103	109	132	116	114	122	137	145	162	207	211	180	142	118	104	103
Wed	102	102	111	130	116	115	123	137	159	182	219	224	187	152	126	105	102
Thu	102	103	109	130	115	119	128	137	154	183	222	228	208	173	136	108	103
Fri	102	102	105	113	113	123	141	153	166	189	208	216	192	162	133	109	101
Sat	102	102	103	104	108	112	122	132	140	144	144	136	128	120	114	106	102
Sun	102	102	102	103	104	107	117	126	131	131	130	124	120	116	112	107	102