How far is Santa Ana, CA from Irvine, CA?

The driving distance from Santa Ana, CA to Irvine, CA is about 10.6 miles (17 km), with a travel time of about 00h 15m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 5.8 miles (9.4 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 00h 31m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM PDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This is an easy same-day return drive. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
10.57 mi
00h 15m
Flight
5.85 mi
9.42 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Santa Ana.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
5.85 mi
Kilometers
9.42 km
Flight Time

Driving Distance

Road route
10.57 mi
Kilometers
17.01 km
Drive Time
00h 15m

Gas Cost Calculator

Leave and Arrive Planner

Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.

Drive time stays fixed at 00h 15m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Irvine
Wed, Apr 22, 1:46 PM PDT
Return by in Santa Ana
Wed, Apr 22, 2:02 PM PDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Santa Ana
2026-04-22T13:30
Arrive Irvine
Wed, Apr 22, 1:46 PM PDT
Route Timing
00h 15m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM PDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:16 AM to 7:16 PM PDT

This is a short drive, so your comfort window is wide. Traffic and current weather matter more than the clock.

Leave by
7:58 PM PDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Santa Ana
10:00 PM PDT
Flexible departure

This departure sits inside the recommended comfort window for the route.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
Tustin
CA

A city in Orange County, California.

From Santa Ana
3.8 mi
00h 07m
To Irvine
6.8 mi
00h 07m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
71°F
Wednesday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Wed, Apr 22 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
5 to 15 mph W
Destination
70°F
Wednesday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Wed, Apr 22 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
5 to 15 mph W

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Santa Ana and Irvine.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Santa Ana and Irvine.

  1. 1

    Start on West 1st Street

    79 m · 11 sec · West 1st Street

  2. 2

    Continue on West 1st Street

    109 m · 17 sec · West 1st Street

  3. 3

    Turn right onto South Main Street

    3.1 mi · 6 min · South Main Street

  4. 4

    Turn left onto East MacArthur Boulevard

    1548 ft · 32 sec · East MacArthur Boulevard

  5. 5

    Take the ramp slight right toward CA 55 South: Newport Beach

    988 ft · 15 sec

  6. 6

    Merge slight left onto Costa Mesa Freeway

    2066 ft · 27 sec · Costa Mesa Freeway

  7. 7

    Take the exit slight right toward I 405 South: John Wayne Airport

    3019 ft · 39 sec

  8. 8

    Keep slight left to continue on I 405 South

    775 ft · 10 sec

  9. 9

    Merge slight left onto San Diego Freeway

    2.7 mi · 3 min · San Diego Freeway

  10. 10

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · San Diego Freeway

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Santa Ana and Irvine.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Turn-heavy local drive

The route has frequent decision points for its length, so lane choice and turn timing will matter more than cruising speed.

Directions
10 steps
2 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
4
2 merges, 2 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
94.3 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
South Main Street
3.13 mi · 30%
San Diego Freeway
2.7 mi · 26%
I 405 South
0.72 mi · 7%
Costa Mesa Freeway
0.39 mi · 4%
East MacArthur Boulevard
0.29 mi · 3%
CA 55 South
0.19 mi · 2%
Longest Stretch

South Main Street

Turn right onto South Main Street

3.13 mi · 00h 06m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

A short regional drive

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

Drive Time
00h 15m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
00h 32m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+4.8 mi
5.8 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Tustin
00h 07m from Santa Ana
Leave By
7:58 PM PDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny leaving Santa Ana and Mostly Sunny near Irvine.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Santa Ana to Irvine?

The road trip is about 10.6 miles (17 km) and usually takes 00h 15m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Tustin is a useful midpoint, sitting about 3.8 miles from Santa Ana and 6.8 miles from Irvine.

How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?

The direct path is about 5.8 miles (9.4 km), while the road route adds roughly 4.8 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.

When is the best time to leave for this route?

A good departure window is usually 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM PDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 7:58 PM PDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $2.13 one way or $4.27 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 3.3 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny around Santa Ana and Mostly Sunny near Irvine.

Stop Ideas Near Tustin

Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.

Mid-route Guidance
These suggestions come from reviewed places and nearby services around Tustin and the surrounding midpoint area.
Newport Beach Municipal Operations
Scenic stop 5.8 mi away

Newport Beach Municipal Operations

Newport Beach , CA
592 Superior Ave, Newport Beach, CA 92663, United States
Rating 5.0/5 1 reviews City government office,Government office,Park
City of Tustin Parks & Recreation
Meeting point 4.1 mi away

City of Tustin Parks & Recreation

Tustin , CA
300 Centennial Way, Tustin, CA 92780, United States
Rating 5.0/5 4 reviews City government office
bamboo house
Nearby stop 6.8 mi away

bamboo house

Garden Grove , CA
12242 Tamerlane Dr, Garden Grove, CA 92840, United States
Rating 4.9/5 20 reviews Hostel

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Tustin.

RAIL

Santa Ana Regional Transportation Center

3 mi away
1000 East Santa Ana Boulevard
RAIL

Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center

8 mi away
2150 East Katella Avenue
RAIL

Irvine Transportation Center

10 mi away
15215 Barranca Parkway
RAIL

Fullerton Transportation Center

16 mi away
120 East Santa Fe Avenue

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Santa Ana and Irvine. Straight-line distance: 5.85 mi (9.42 km).

Santa Ana

#1 Santa Ana

The most populous city in Orange County, California and the center of the Santa Ana metropolitan area.

Population331,301
Coordinates33.7455700, -117.8678300
Altitude35
CountryUnited States
Irvine

#2 Irvine

A city located in Orange County, California.

Population283,700
Coordinates33.6694600, -117.8231100
Altitude17
CountryUnited States
Start: West 1st Street (-117.86783, 33.745553)
End: (-117.823114, 33.669436)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 17 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 21m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 15m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 12m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 10m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 09m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 07m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.37 gal
1.41 L · about $2.13
Round trip
$4.27
0.74 gal · 2.82 L
Estimated CO2
3.3 kg one way
Round trip: 6.6 kg / 15 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $5.77 $2.13 $4.27
Mid-grade $6.07 $2.24 $4.49
Premium $6.24 $2.31 $4.62
Diesel $7.57 $2.80 $5.60

Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.

Prices in California · Apr 22, 2026

There is no time difference between Santa Ana and Irvine. The current time is 13:30:59.

Distance to Other Cities

Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.