Best Time to Drive from Santa Clarita to LAX

Right now (1:18 pm PDT): about 58 minutes via I-405 South, usually 46 at this time.

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	56	73	65	49	41	40	40	40	41	40	40	40	40	40	39	38
Tue	38	70	101	81	54	41	39	39	40	40	40	41	43	44	42	44	39
Wed	38	40	47	55	51	39	40	40	40	40	40	40	40	41	41	41	37
Thu	40	63	91	70	42	40	39	39	40	39	41	42	43	41	41	42	39
Fri	39	42	44	42	39	41	44	42	42	42	42	43	42	42	41	43	40
Sat	40	42	43	41	41	41	44	50	50	43	43	42	43	41	39	41	37
Sun	39	40	40	38	39	40	41	44	46	48	47	46	42	42	42	43	38

About this drive

On weekdays the 36-mile drive from Santa Clarita to LAX (via I-405 South) usually takes as little as 37 minutes and up to 101 minutes, when leaving around 7 am on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 9 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 40 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 12:30 pm on Saturdays (50 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 33 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 37 minutes then, versus up to 101 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 36-mile drive usually takes 37 to 101 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 40 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Santa Clarita to LAX?

Leaving around 7 am on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 101 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	56	73	65	49	41	40	40	40	41	40	40	40	40	40	39	38
Tue	38	70	101	81	54	41	39	39	40	40	40	41	43	44	42	44	39
Wed	38	40	47	55	51	39	40	40	40	40	40	40	40	41	41	41	37
Thu	40	63	91	70	42	40	39	39	40	39	41	42	43	41	41	42	39
Fri	39	42	44	42	39	41	44	42	42	42	42	43	42	42	41	43	40
Sat	40	42	43	41	41	41	44	50	50	43	43	42	43	41	39	41	37
Sun	39	40	40	38	39	40	41	44	46	48	47	46	42	42	42	43	38

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	38	56	73	65	49	41	40	40	40	41	40	40	40	40	40	39	38
Tue	38	70	101	81	54	41	39	39	40	40	40	41	43	44	42	44	39
Wed	38	40	47	55	51	39	40	40	40	40	40	40	40	41	41	41	37
Thu	40	63	91	70	42	40	39	39	40	39	41	42	43	41	41	42	39
Fri	39	42	44	42	39	41	44	42	42	42	42	43	42	42	41	43	40
Sat	40	42	43	41	41	41	44	50	50	43	43	42	43	41	39	41	37
Sun	39	40	40	38	39	40	41	44	46	48	47	46	42	42	42	43	38

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	38	56	73	65	49	41	40	40	40	41	40	40	40	40	40	39	38
Tue	38	70	101	81	54	41	39	39	40	40	40	41	43	44	42	44	39
Wed	38	40	47	55	51	39	40	40	40	40	40	40	40	41	41	41	37
Thu	40	63	91	70	42	40	39	39	40	39	41	42	43	41	41	42	39
Fri	39	42	44	42	39	41	44	42	42	42	42	43	42	42	41	43	40
Sat	40	42	43	41	41	41	44	50	50	43	43	42	43	41	39	41	37
Sun	39	40	40	38	39	40	41	44	46	48	47	46	42	42	42	43	38