Compare: Los Angeles→Mexico City (2,490 km) vs Los Angeles→Vancouver (1,740 km). Los Angeles → Vancouver wins by 750 km (30%). Side-by-side with flight & drive times.
By SnapDistance Team
2,490 km
1,547 miles · Flight: ~3h 37min · Drive: ~40h 28min
1,740 km
1,081 miles · Flight: ~2h 41min · Drive: ~28h 17min
✓ Shorter route
Difference: 750 km (30%) · Flight time difference: ~56 min
Verdict
Los Angeles → Vancouver is the smarter pick if travel time and emissions matter most: it is 750 km (30%) shorter, saves about 56 min of flight time, and cuts roughly 191 kg of CO₂ per passenger. Choose Los Angeles → Mexico City only if the destination itself is the reason for the trip.
Los Angeles → Vancouver is the shorter route at 1,740 km, which is 750 km (30%) shorter than Los Angeles → Mexico City. You would save approximately 56 min in flight time by choosing the shorter route.
| Metric | Los Angeles → Mexico City | Los Angeles → Vancouver |
|---|---|---|
| Distance (km) | 2,490 | 1,740 |
| Distance (miles) | 1,547 | 1,081 |
| Flight time | ~3h 37min | ~2h 41min |
| Driving time | ~40h 28min | ~28h 17min |
| Road distance (rough estimate) | ~3,238 km | ~2,262 km |
| Continuous road link? | Yes | Yes |
| Cross-continental | No | No |
| Initial bearing | 126° (SE) | 348° (NNW) |
| Time-zone shift | +1h | None |
| CO₂ – flight (per pax) | ~635 kg | ~444 kg |
| CO₂ – driving (per car) | ~554 kg | ~387 kg |
| Fuel cost (est.) | ~$324 USD | ~$226 USD |
Flying from Los Angeles to Mexico City produces roughly 635 kg of CO₂ per passenger, based on the ICAO/EEA short-haul emission factor of ~0.255 kg per passenger-km. The Los Angeles → Vancouver flight emits about 444 kg. Choosing the shorter route saves approximately 191 kg of CO₂ per traveler — equivalent to 9 typical tree-years of carbon sequestration. For comparison, driving emits roughly 554 kg and 387 kg per car respectively — meaningful only when the car carries multiple passengers.
The Los Angeles to Mexico City route covers 2,490 km (1,547 miles), staying within North America. Los Angeles (population: 3,979,576) is located in West Coast, United States, while Mexico City (population: 9,209,944) is in Central, Mexico.
The Los Angeles to Vancouver route covers 1,740 km (1,081 miles), remaining within North America. Los Angeles (population: 3,979,576) is in West Coast, United States, and Vancouver (population: 631,486) is in British Columbia, Canada.
Flying from Los Angeles to Mexico City takes approximately 3h 37min, while Los Angeles to Vancouver takes 2h 41min. If driving is an option, expect roughly 40h 28min for the first route and 28h 17min for the second.
Since both routes depart from Los Angeles, this comparison is especially useful for travelers deciding between Mexico City and Vancouver as a destination.
The 750 km difference between these routes is noticeable in both travel time and fuel or ticket costs.
Both routes have a continuous land link, with rough road estimates of about 3,238 km and 2,262 km — straight-line distance × 1.3, not routed drives.
Mexico City (Mexico) has a population of 9,209,944 and is located in the Central region of North America. As a major metropolis, it offers extensive international connections and diverse attractions.
Vancouver (Canada) has a population of 631,486 and is situated in British Columbia, North America. This destination offers a more intimate travel experience with unique local culture.
Choose this route if your priority is reaching Mexico City (Mexico) — a city of 9,209,944 in the Central region of North America. Despite being the longer of the two at 2,490 km, it makes sense when Mexico City itself is the destination, the schedule fits better, or ticket prices are noticeably lower. Driving is realistic at this distance, with an estimated 3,238 km of road and a fuel cost band around $324 USD. The initial bearing is 126° (SE), so a great-circle flight leaves Los Angeles heading roughly SE.
This route is the right call if you are heading to Vancouver (Canada) — a city of 631,486 in the British Columbia region of North America. It is also the shorter of the two at 1,740 km, saving about 56 min of flying and around 191 kg of CO₂ per passenger. Driving is feasible — expect roughly 2,262 km of road and a fuel cost in the $226 USD range. Departing Los Angeles, the great-circle bearing toward Vancouver is 348° (NNW).
Los Angeles (34.05°, -118.24°) → Mexico City (19.43°, -99.13°): Los Angeles keeps America/Los_Angeles time and Mexico City keeps America/Mexico_City time — a gap of about 1 hour, with Mexico City 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. Los Angeles (34.05°, -118.24°) → Vancouver (49.28°, -123.12°): Los Angeles keeps America/Los_Angeles time and Vancouver keeps America/Vancouver 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.
Vancouver is closer at 1,740 km, which is 750 km (30%) shorter.
2,490 km (1,547 miles). Flight: ~3h 37min.
1,740 km (1,081 miles). Flight: ~2h 41min.
Flying to Vancouver is faster at ~2h 41min, saving about 56 min compared to Mexico City.
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.