Best Time to Drive from Van Nuys to LAX

Right now (3:48 am PDT): about 24 minutes via I-405 South, usually 24 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 Van Nuys 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	24	28	41	45	42	36	34	33	34	36	40	47	48	41	30	26	24
Tue	24	29	42	47	45	40	35	35	35	38	45	53	53	47	35	27	24
Wed	24	29	41	47	45	41	38	36	37	39	46	53	53	49	37	30	24
Thu	24	29	41	47	45	41	39	39	39	41	49	55	56	50	40	32	25
Fri	24	28	39	44	41	39	40	43	46	48	52	56	54	49	39	32	25
Sat	24	24	25	25	27	31	37	42	45	46	46	44	41	37	32	28	25
Sun	24	24	24	24	25	26	29	33	37	40	39	36	33	31	29	28	25

About this drive

On weekdays the 21-mile drive from Van Nuys to LAX (via I-405 South) usually takes as little as 24 minutes and up to 56 minutes, when leaving around 5 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 9 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 38 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 2 pm on Saturdays (46 minutes).

About 15 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 6 miles surface streets (11 to 25 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Van Nuys (Haynes 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 Van Nuys to LAX?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 9 pm. The drive usually takes about 24 minutes then, versus up to 56 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Van Nuys to LAX?

The 21-mile drive usually takes 24 to 56 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 38 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Van Nuys to LAX?

Leaving around 5 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 56 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-405 South in Los Angeles (15 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

More drives

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

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	24	28	41	45	42	36	34	33	34	36	40	47	48	41	30	26	24
Tue	24	29	42	47	45	40	35	35	35	38	45	53	53	47	35	27	24
Wed	24	29	41	47	45	41	38	36	37	39	46	53	53	49	37	30	24
Thu	24	29	41	47	45	41	39	39	39	41	49	55	56	50	40	32	25
Fri	24	28	39	44	41	39	40	43	46	48	52	56	54	49	39	32	25
Sat	24	24	25	25	27	31	37	42	45	46	46	44	41	37	32	28	25
Sun	24	24	24	24	25	26	29	33	37	40	39	36	33	31	29	28	25

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	24	28	41	45	42	36	34	33	34	36	40	47	48	41	30	26	24
Tue	24	29	42	47	45	40	35	35	35	38	45	53	53	47	35	27	24
Wed	24	29	41	47	45	41	38	36	37	39	46	53	53	49	37	30	24
Thu	24	29	41	47	45	41	39	39	39	41	49	55	56	50	40	32	25
Fri	24	28	39	44	41	39	40	43	46	48	52	56	54	49	39	32	25
Sat	24	24	25	25	27	31	37	42	45	46	46	44	41	37	32	28	25
Sun	24	24	24	24	25	26	29	33	37	40	39	36	33	31	29	28	25

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	24	28	41	45	42	36	34	33	34	36	40	47	48	41	30	26	24
Tue	24	29	42	47	45	40	35	35	35	38	45	53	53	47	35	27	24
Wed	24	29	41	47	45	41	38	36	37	39	46	53	53	49	37	30	24
Thu	24	29	41	47	45	41	39	39	39	41	49	55	56	50	40	32	25
Fri	24	28	39	44	41	39	40	43	46	48	52	56	54	49	39	32	25
Sat	24	24	25	25	27	31	37	42	45	46	46	44	41	37	32	28	25
Sun	24	24	24	24	25	26	29	33	37	40	39	36	33	31	29	28	25