You've probably heard the classic line that Vegas is just a "quick four-hour drive" from Los Angeles. Or maybe you've been told a flight from Phoenix is a mere hop, skip, and a jump. Honestly? Those people are usually lying to themselves—or they haven't driven the I-15 on a Friday afternoon lately.
When you're asking how long does it take to go to Las Vegas, the answer depends entirely on your tolerance for Southwest desert traffic and how much you trust "wheels up" times. It’s not just about the miles. It’s about the time-tax.
The clock doesn't start when you hit the freeway or when the plane takes off. It starts the moment you lock your front door. If you’re planning a trip in 2026, things have changed a bit. We have new infrastructure projects, a weirdly shifting airline landscape, and a high-speed rail that everyone keeps talking about but nobody can actually ride yet.
The Brutal Reality of the Southern California Slog
If you’re coming from the LA basin, the distance is roughly 270 miles. On paper, at 65 mph, that’s about four hours. In reality? Good luck.
If you leave on a Friday at 2:00 PM, you aren't looking at four hours. You're looking at six. Maybe seven if there’s a fender bender near the Cajon Pass. The bottleneck at the California-Nevada border in Primm is legendary for a reason. You can spend 45 minutes just moving three miles because everyone wants to hit the lottery store or the outlets.
Breaking down the drive times by city:
- Los Angeles: 4.5 to 5.5 hours (Expect 6+ on weekends).
- San Diego: 5 to 6 hours via I-15 N.
- Phoenix: 4.5 to 5 hours. The US-93 route is mostly two lanes and can get hairy with trucks.
- Salt Lake City: 6 hours. It’s a straight shot down the I-15, usually less dramatic than the CA route.
Most people underestimate the "Desert Factor." It's 110 degrees in the summer. Your car works harder. You stop more for water and gas. That 15-minute Taco Bell break in Barstow quickly turns into 45 minutes because 300 other people had the same idea.
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Is Flying Actually Faster?
"It's only an hour flight!"
Sure, the time spent in the air from LAX or Burbank to Harry Reid International (LAS) is roughly 60 to 75 minutes. But let's do the actual math. You need to be at the airport 90 minutes early. You have to park or Uber. You have to clear TSA. Once you land, you have to navigate the labyrinth that is the Las Vegas airport, wait for your bags, and then stand in the rideshare line which, frankly, can be soul-crushing on a busy night.
Total time door-to-door from SoCal? Usually 4 to 5 hours.
Basically, flying and driving take almost the exact same amount of time if you live in Southern California. The difference is whether you want to be stressed by traffic or stressed by airport security.
The International and Long-Haul Perspective
For those coming from further away, the question of how long does it take to go to Las Vegas becomes a question of flight connections.
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- New York (JFK/EWR): About 6 hours flying west, 5 hours flying east (jet stream is a friend).
- Chicago (ORD/MDW): Around 3.5 to 4 hours.
- London (LHR): Roughly 10.5 to 11 hours. These are usually direct on British Airways or Virgin Atlantic.
- Tokyo (NRT): About 11 to 12 hours.
If you’re coming from the East Coast, you’re basically losing an entire day to travel. You leave at 8:00 AM, and by the time you've checked into your hotel on the Strip, it’s 2:00 PM local time. Your body thinks it’s 5:00 PM. This is why the first night in Vegas is usually a blur of caffeine and poor decisions.
Pro Tip: The "Burbank Secret"
If you can, fly out of Hollywood Burbank Airport (BUR) or Ontario (ONT) instead of LAX. You'll shave an hour off your total travel "stress time" even if the flight duration is the same. LAX is a beast that eats time.
What About the Bullet Train?
Everyone asks about Brightline West. As of early 2026, the project is still very much under construction. They broke ground in 2024 with the goal of being ready for the 2028 Olympics in LA.
When it finally opens—likely late 2028 or early 2029 based on recent delays—it promises to whisk people from Rancho Cucamonga to Las Vegas in about 2 hours and 10 minutes. Until then, you're stuck on the asphalt with everyone else.
Why 2026 is Different for Travel Times
We’ve seen a massive spike in "event-based" travel. It used to be that Vegas was busy on weekends. Now, with the Raiders, the Golden Knights, and Formula 1, "peak" traffic can happen on a Tuesday.
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If there is a major convention like CES in town, add at least 60 minutes to your commute from the airport to your hotel. The Strip is one giant construction zone more often than not. Pedestrian bridges and lane closures turn a 2-mile drive into a 30-minute ordeal.
Making the Most of the Trip
If you want to minimize the time you spend staring at brake lights or airport terminal ceilings, here is the expert playbook:
- Mid-week is King: If you can leave on a Tuesday and come back Thursday, you will save roughly 3 hours of total transit time.
- The 6:00 AM Rule: If you’re driving from LA, leave by 6:00 AM. If you wait until 9:00 AM, you’ve already lost.
- Skip the Strip Drive: If you’re flying in, take the back roads (Koval or Paradise) to get to your hotel. Don't let the Uber driver take you down Las Vegas Blvd unless you want to pay for a 20-minute tour of a traffic jam.
The real answer to how long does it take to go to Las Vegas isn't found on a map. It’s found in the timing. Plan for the "hidden" hours—the check-in lines, the valet wait times, and the slow crawl of the I-15.
If you're driving, download a few long podcasts. If you're flying, bring a portable charger. You're going to need them.
Check the Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT) website for real-time lane closures on the I-15 before you put the car in gear. If you're flying, use apps like FlightAware to see if your plane is actually at the gate before you leave for the airport; LAS is notorious for "creeping" delays during windy desert afternoons.