Compare: London→Barcelona (1,139 km) vs London→Lisbon (1,585 km). London → Barcelona wins by 446 km (28%). Side-by-side with flight & drive times.
By SnapDistance Team
1,139 km
708 miles · Flight: ~1h 55min
✓ Shorter route
1,585 km
985 miles · Flight: ~2h 29min
Difference: 446 km (28%) · Flight time difference: ~34 min
Verdict
London → Barcelona is the smarter pick if travel time and emissions matter most: it is 446 km (28%) shorter, saves about 34 min of flight time, and cuts roughly 114 kg of CO₂ per passenger. Choose London → Lisbon only if the destination itself is the reason for the trip.
London → Barcelona is the shorter route at 1,139 km, which is 446 km (28%) shorter than London → Lisbon. You would save approximately 34 min in flight time by choosing the shorter route.
| Metric | London → Barcelona | London → Lisbon |
|---|---|---|
| Distance (km) | 1,139 | 1,585 |
| Distance (miles) | 708 | 985 |
| Flight time | ~1h 55min | ~2h 29min |
| Driving time | No road estimate | No road estimate |
| Road distance (rough estimate) | Not published | Not published |
| Continuous road link? | No | No |
| Cross-continental | No | No |
| Initial bearing | 170° (S) | 210° (SSW) |
| Time-zone shift | +1h | None |
| CO₂ – flight (per pax) | ~290 kg | ~404 kg |
| CO₂ – driving (per car) | — | — |
| Fuel cost (est.) | — | — |
Flying from London to Barcelona produces roughly 290 kg of CO₂ per passenger, based on the ICAO/EEA short-haul emission factor of ~0.255 kg per passenger-km. The London → Lisbon flight emits about 404 kg. Choosing the shorter route saves approximately 114 kg of CO₂ per traveler — equivalent to 5 typical tree-years of carbon sequestration.
The London to Barcelona route covers 1,139 km (708 miles), staying within Europe. London (population: 8,982,000) is located in England, United Kingdom, while Barcelona (population: 1,620,343) is in Catalonia, Spain.
The London to Lisbon route covers 1,585 km (985 miles), remaining within Europe. London (population: 8,982,000) is in England, United Kingdom, and Lisbon (population: 544,851) is in Lisbon, Portugal.
Flying from London to Barcelona takes approximately 1h 55min, while London to Lisbon takes 2h 29min.
Since both routes depart from London, this comparison is especially useful for travelers deciding between Barcelona and Lisbon as a destination.
The 446 km difference between these routes is noticeable in both travel time and fuel or ticket costs.
Neither route has a road figure we can defend. Yes — you can drive from London to Barcelona by taking your car through the Channel Tunnel (Le Shuttle, Folkestone–Calais, about 35 minutes) or on a cross-Channel ferry. Because part of the trip is a rail or sea crossing, SnapDistance does not publish a single road-distance figure for this pair. Yes — you can drive from London to Lisbon by taking your car through the Channel Tunnel (Le Shuttle, Folkestone–Calais, about 35 minutes) or on a cross-Channel ferry. Because part of the trip is a rail or sea crossing, SnapDistance does not publish a single road-distance figure for this pair.
Barcelona (Spain) has a population of 1,620,343 and is located in the Catalonia region of Europe. It's a significant city with good transport links and cultural offerings.
Lisbon (Portugal) has a population of 544,851 and is situated in Lisbon, Europe. This destination offers a more intimate travel experience with unique local culture.
Choose this route if your priority is reaching Barcelona (Spain) — a city of 1,620,343 in the Catalonia region of Europe. It is also the shorter option at 1,139 km, which translates to a 34 min flight-time saving and roughly 114 kg less CO₂ per passenger versus the alternative. This is a fly-only route in practice — overland travel is not realistic at 1,139 km. The initial bearing is 170° (S), so a great-circle flight leaves London heading roughly S.
This route is the right call if you are heading to Lisbon (Portugal) — a city of 544,851 in the Lisbon region of Europe. Even though it is the longer route at 1,585 km, it remains the obvious pick when Lisbon is the actual destination, when departure schedules from London are more convenient, or when fares undercut the alternative. Overland travel is not practical for 1,585 km; flying is the realistic mode. Departing London, the great-circle bearing toward Lisbon is 210° (SSW).
London (51.51°, -0.13°) → Barcelona (41.39°, 2.17°): London keeps Europe/London time and Barcelona keeps Europe/Madrid time — a gap of about 1 hour, with Barcelona ahead. The exact gap moves when either zone switches to or from daylight saving, so use the live figure in the calculator for your travel dates. London (51.51°, -0.13°) → Lisbon (38.72°, -9.14°): London keeps Europe/London time and Lisbon keeps Europe/Lisbon time, and the two zones hold the same clock time for most of the year. Because each zone changes to and from daylight saving on its own schedule, check the live difference in the calculator for your travel dates. Both gaps come from the cities' real IANA zones and move with daylight saving. Both routes have manageable shifts, so jet lag should not be a major factor.
Barcelona is closer at 1,139 km, which is 446 km (28%) shorter.
1,139 km (708 miles). Flight: ~1h 55min.
1,585 km (985 miles). Flight: ~2h 29min.
Flying to Barcelona is faster at ~1h 55min, saving about 34 min compared to Lisbon.
All distances on SnapDistance are calculated using the Haversine formula, which determines the great-circle distance between two points on Earth's surface. This gives the shortest possible distance over the globe, which is the measurement used for aviation and navigation. Actual travel distances by road or rail are typically 20-40% longer due to terrain, borders, and infrastructure routing. Flight times assume 800 km/h cruising speed with 30 minutes for takeoff and landing. Driving estimates use 80 km/h average speed with a 30% road distance factor.