Best Time to Drive from SNA to Glendale

Right now (5:50 pm PST): about 81 minutes via I-5 North, usually 71 at this time.

Only 36% 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 SNA to Glendale 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	41	57	66	71	69	62	60	60	62	66	71	76	71	65	52	44	42
Tue	41	57	65	75	71	65	57	59	61	67	75	79	76	72	61	45	43
Wed	41	54	61	67	70	62	60	58	62	67	74	80	79	76	60	48	43
Thu	41	55	63	68	67	61	60	60	62	67	74	81	77	72	62	50	43
Fri	41	54	59	63	62	59	60	62	67	71	78	77	77	71	61	52	43
Sat	42	43	44	46	52	57	60	59	63	63	64	65	65	64	63	52	44
Sun	42	43	42	43	44	49	56	60	61	63	64	61	61	62	59	53	45

About this drive

On weekdays the 47-mile drive from SNA to Glendale (via I-5 North) usually takes as little as 41 minutes and up to 82 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 5:30 am or after 8:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 62 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 4:30 pm on Saturdays (68 minutes).

About 44 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 2 miles surface streets (3 to 7 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from John Wayne Airport, Orange County (SNA) (Paularino Avenue) to central Glendale (South Brand Boulevard) 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 SNA to Glendale?

On weekdays, leave before 5:30 am or after 8:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 41 minutes then, versus up to 82 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from SNA to Glendale?

The 47-mile drive usually takes 41 to 82 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 62 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from SNA to Glendale?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 82 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 North in Orange County (22 miles) · I-5 North in Los Angeles (17 miles) · SR-55 North in Orange County (5 miles)

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

SNA to Glendale over Thanksgiving: when to leave →

More drives

Glendale to SNA (return trip) · SNA to Los Angeles · SNA to Santa Monica · SNA to Pasadena · SNA to Long Beach · SNA to West Covina · SNA to Burbank · SNA to Santa Clarita · SNA to Van Nuys · SNA to Torrance · SNA to LAX · SNA 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	41	57	66	71	69	62	60	60	62	66	71	76	71	65	52	44	42
Tue	41	57	65	75	71	65	57	59	61	67	75	79	76	72	61	45	43
Wed	41	54	61	67	70	62	60	58	62	67	74	80	79	76	60	48	43
Thu	41	55	63	68	67	61	60	60	62	67	74	81	77	72	62	50	43
Fri	41	54	59	63	62	59	60	62	67	71	78	77	77	71	61	52	43
Sat	42	43	44	46	52	57	60	59	63	63	64	65	65	64	63	52	44
Sun	42	43	42	43	44	49	56	60	61	63	64	61	61	62	59	53	45

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	41	57	66	71	69	62	60	60	62	66	71	76	71	65	52	44	42
Tue	41	57	65	75	71	65	57	59	61	67	75	79	76	72	61	45	43
Wed	41	54	61	67	70	62	60	58	62	67	74	80	79	76	60	48	43
Thu	41	55	63	68	67	61	60	60	62	67	74	81	77	72	62	50	43
Fri	41	54	59	63	62	59	60	62	67	71	78	77	77	71	61	52	43
Sat	42	43	44	46	52	57	60	59	63	63	64	65	65	64	63	52	44
Sun	42	43	42	43	44	49	56	60	61	63	64	61	61	62	59	53	45

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	41	57	66	71	69	62	60	60	62	66	71	76	71	65	52	44	42
Tue	41	57	65	75	71	65	57	59	61	67	75	79	76	72	61	45	43
Wed	41	54	61	67	70	62	60	58	62	67	74	80	79	76	60	48	43
Thu	41	55	63	68	67	61	60	60	62	67	74	81	77	72	62	50	43
Fri	41	54	59	63	62	59	60	62	67	71	78	77	77	71	61	52	43
Sat	42	43	44	46	52	57	60	59	63	63	64	65	65	64	63	52	44
Sun	42	43	42	43	44	49	56	60	61	63	64	61	61	62	59	53	45