Compare: Los Angeles→Chicago (2,804 km) vs Los Angeles→New York (3,936 km). Los Angeles → Chicago wins by 1,132 km (29%). Side-by-side with flight & drive times.
By SnapDistance Team · Updated April 7, 2026
2,804 km
1,742 miles · Flight: ~4h · Drive: ~45h 34min
✓ Shorter route
3,936 km
2,446 miles · Flight: ~5h 25min · Drive: ~63h 58min
Difference: 1,132 km (29%) · Flight time difference: ~1h 25min
Verdict
Los Angeles → Chicago is the smarter pick if travel time and emissions matter most: it is 1,132 km (29%) shorter, saves about 1h 25min of flight time, and cuts roughly 289 kg of CO₂ per passenger. Choose Los Angeles → New York only if the destination itself is the reason for the trip.
Los Angeles → Chicago is the shorter route at 2,804 km, which is 1,132 km (29%) shorter than Los Angeles → New York. You would save approximately 1h 25min in flight time by choosing the shorter route.
| Metric | Los Angeles → Chicago | Los Angeles → New York |
|---|---|---|
| Distance (km) | 2,804 | 3,936 |
| Distance (miles) | 1,742 | 2,446 |
| Flight time | ~4h | ~5h 25min |
| Driving time | ~45h 34min | ~63h 58min |
| Road distance (est.) | ~3,645 km | ~5,117 km |
| Drivable? | Yes | Yes |
| Cross-continental | No | No |
| Initial bearing | 63° (ENE) | 66° (ENE) |
| Time-zone shift | +2h | +3h |
| CO₂ – flight (per pax) | ~715 kg | ~1,004 kg |
| CO₂ – driving (per car) | ~623 kg | ~875 kg |
| Fuel cost (est.) | ~$365 USD | ~$512 USD |
Flying from Los Angeles to Chicago produces roughly 715 kg of CO₂ per passenger, based on the ICAO/EEA short-haul emission factor of ~0.255 kg per passenger-km. The Los Angeles → New York flight emits about 1,004 kg. Choosing the shorter route saves approximately 289 kg of CO₂ per traveler — equivalent to 14 typical tree-years of carbon sequestration. For comparison, driving emits roughly 623 kg and 875 kg per car respectively — meaningful only when the car carries multiple passengers.
The Los Angeles to Chicago route covers 2,804 km (1,742 miles), staying within North America. Los Angeles (population: 3,979,576) is located in West Coast, United States, while Chicago (population: 2,693,976) is in Midwest, United States.
The Los Angeles to New York route covers 3,936 km (2,446 miles), remaining within North America. Los Angeles (population: 3,979,576) is in West Coast, United States, and New York (population: 8,336,817) is in Northeast, United States.
Flying from Los Angeles to Chicago takes approximately 4h, while Los Angeles to New York takes 5h 25min. If driving is an option, expect roughly 45h 34min for the first route and 63h 58min for the second.
Since both routes depart from Los Angeles, this comparison is especially useful for travelers deciding between Chicago and New York as a destination.
The 1,132 km difference between these routes is noticeable in both travel time and fuel or ticket costs.
Both routes are drivable, with road distances of approximately 3,645 km and 5,117 km respectively. For road trips, the shorter route saves roughly 1,472 km of driving.
Chicago (United States) has a population of 2,693,976 and is located in the Midwest region of North America. It's a significant city with good transport links and cultural offerings.
New York (United States) has a population of 8,336,817 and is situated in Northeast, North America. This major global city has multiple airports and world-class infrastructure.
Choose this route if your priority is reaching Chicago (United States) — a city of 2,693,976 in the Midwest region of North America. It is also the shorter option at 2,804 km, which translates to a 1h 25min flight-time saving and roughly 289 kg less CO₂ per passenger versus the alternative. Driving is realistic at this distance, with an estimated 3,645 km of road and a fuel cost band around $365 USD. The initial bearing is 63° (ENE), so a great-circle flight leaves Los Angeles heading roughly ENE.
This route is the right call if you are heading to New York (United States) — a city of 8,336,817 in the Northeast region of North America. Even though it is the longer route at 3,936 km, it remains the obvious pick when New York is the actual destination, when departure schedules from Los Angeles are more convenient, or when fares undercut the alternative. Driving is feasible — expect roughly 5,117 km of road and a fuel cost in the $512 USD range. Departing Los Angeles, the great-circle bearing toward New York is 66° (ENE).
Los Angeles (34.05°, -118.24°) and Chicago (41.88°, -87.63°) sit with a time-zone shift of +2 hours. Los Angeles (34.05°, -118.24°) and New York (40.71°, -74.01°) have a +3-hour offset. Both routes have manageable time-zone shifts, so jet lag should not be a major factor.
Chicago is closer at 2,804 km, which is 1,132 km (29%) shorter.
2,804 km (1,742 miles). Flight: ~4h.
3,936 km (2,446 miles). Flight: ~5h 25min.
Flying to Chicago is faster at ~4h, saving about 1h 25min compared to New York.
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.
📍 Data: Coordinates from OpenStreetMap contributors. Distances calculated using the Haversine formula. Travel times are estimates only. Last verified: April 7, 2026.