Best Time to Drive from Santa Clarita to LAX

Right now (3:06 am PST): about 38 minutes via I-405 South.

None 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 Clarita 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	38	43	53	57	46	42	43	46	50	52	56	60	59	52	44	40	38
Tue	38	49	68	86	60	44	44	51	59	58	77	101	103	82	57	45	39
Wed	38	41	45	60	53	43	45	50	59	72	88	108	113	86	63	47	38
Thu	38	43	61	67	51	45	49	53	59	67	89	111	111	97	74	52	39
Fri	38	40	42	43	42	44	51	56	65	70	87	99	101	87	71	52	40
Sat	39	40	40	40	41	42	47	52	56	58	60	57	54	48	45	43	38
Sun	39	39	39	39	40	40	43	47	49	51	52	50	46	46	46	44	38

About this drive

On weekdays the 36-mile drive from Santa Clarita to LAX (via I-405 South) usually takes as little as 38 minutes and up to 115 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Wednesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 9 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 55 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 2:30 pm on Saturdays (60 minutes).

About 28 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 8 miles surface streets (13 to 22 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Santa Clarita (Newhall Avenue) 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 Clarita to LAX?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 9 pm. The drive usually takes about 38 minutes then, versus up to 115 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 36-mile drive usually takes 38 to 115 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 55 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Santa Clarita to LAX?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Wednesdays is usually slowest, about 115 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-405 South in Los Angeles (23 miles) · I-5 South in Los Angeles (4 miles) · SR-14 South in Los Angeles (1.6 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

More drives

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

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	38	43	53	57	46	42	43	46	50	52	56	60	59	52	44	40	38
Tue	38	49	68	86	60	44	44	51	59	58	77	101	103	82	57	45	39
Wed	38	41	45	60	53	43	45	50	59	72	88	108	113	86	63	47	38
Thu	38	43	61	67	51	45	49	53	59	67	89	111	111	97	74	52	39
Fri	38	40	42	43	42	44	51	56	65	70	87	99	101	87	71	52	40
Sat	39	40	40	40	41	42	47	52	56	58	60	57	54	48	45	43	38
Sun	39	39	39	39	40	40	43	47	49	51	52	50	46	46	46	44	38

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	38	43	53	57	46	42	43	46	50	52	56	60	59	52	44	40	38
Tue	38	49	68	86	60	44	44	51	59	58	77	101	103	82	57	45	39
Wed	38	41	45	60	53	43	45	50	59	72	88	108	113	86	63	47	38
Thu	38	43	61	67	51	45	49	53	59	67	89	111	111	97	74	52	39
Fri	38	40	42	43	42	44	51	56	65	70	87	99	101	87	71	52	40
Sat	39	40	40	40	41	42	47	52	56	58	60	57	54	48	45	43	38
Sun	39	39	39	39	40	40	43	47	49	51	52	50	46	46	46	44	38

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	38	43	53	57	46	42	43	46	50	52	56	60	59	52	44	40	38
Tue	38	49	68	86	60	44	44	51	59	58	77	101	103	82	57	45	39
Wed	38	41	45	60	53	43	45	50	59	72	88	108	113	86	63	47	38
Thu	38	43	61	67	51	45	49	53	59	67	89	111	111	97	74	52	39
Fri	38	40	42	43	42	44	51	56	65	70	87	99	101	87	71	52	40
Sat	39	40	40	40	41	42	47	52	56	58	60	57	54	48	45	43	38
Sun	39	39	39	39	40	40	43	47	49	51	52	50	46	46	46	44	38