Compare: New York→Lisbon (5,422 km) vs New York→Madrid (5,768 km). New York → Lisbon wins by 346 km (6%). Side-by-side with flight & drive times.
By SnapDistance Team
5,422 km
3,369 miles · Flight: ~7h 17min
✓ Shorter route
5,768 km
3,584 miles · Flight: ~7h 43min
Difference: 346 km (6%) · Flight time difference: ~26 min
Verdict
New York → Lisbon is the smarter pick if travel time and emissions matter most: it is 346 km (6%) shorter, saves about 26 min of flight time, and cuts roughly 88 kg of CO₂ per passenger. Choose New York → Madrid only if the destination itself is the reason for the trip.
New York → Lisbon is the shorter route at 5,422 km, which is 346 km (6%) shorter than New York → Madrid. You would save approximately 26 min in flight time by choosing the shorter route.
| Metric | New York → Lisbon | New York → Madrid |
|---|---|---|
| Distance (km) | 5,422 | 5,768 |
| Distance (miles) | 3,369 | 3,584 |
| Flight time | ~7h 17min | ~7h 43min |
| Driving time | No road estimate | No road estimate |
| Road distance (rough estimate) | Not published | Not published |
| Continuous road link? | No | No |
| Cross-continental | Yes | Yes |
| Initial bearing | 70° (ENE) | 66° (ENE) |
| Time-zone shift | +5h | +6h |
| CO₂ – flight (per pax) | ~1,383 kg | ~1,471 kg |
| CO₂ – driving (per car) | — | — |
| Fuel cost (est.) | — | — |
Flying from New York to Lisbon produces roughly 1,383 kg of CO₂ per passenger, based on the ICAO/EEA short-haul emission factor of ~0.255 kg per passenger-km. The New York → Madrid flight emits about 1,471 kg. Choosing the shorter route saves approximately 88 kg of CO₂ per traveler — equivalent to 4 typical tree-years of carbon sequestration.
The New York to Lisbon route covers 5,422 km (3,369 miles), crossing from North America to Europe. New York (population: 8,336,817) is located in Northeast, United States, while Lisbon (population: 544,851) is in Lisbon, Portugal.
The New York to Madrid route covers 5,768 km (3,584 miles), spanning from North America to Europe. New York (population: 8,336,817) is in Northeast, United States, and Madrid (population: 3,223,334) is in Community of Madrid, Spain.
Flying from New York to Lisbon takes approximately 7h 17min, while New York to Madrid takes 7h 43min.
Since both routes depart from New York, this comparison is especially useful for travelers deciding between Lisbon and Madrid as a destination.
The 346 km difference between these routes is relatively modest, so other factors like ticket prices and schedules may matter more.
Neither route has a road figure we can defend. There is no continuous road connection between New York and Lisbon — the two cities sit on separate landmasses, so the journey requires air or sea transport. There is no continuous road connection between New York and Madrid — the two cities sit on separate landmasses, so the journey requires air or sea transport.
Lisbon (Portugal) has a population of 544,851 and is located in the Lisbon region of Europe. It's a charming destination known for its regional character.
Madrid (Spain) has a population of 3,223,334 and is situated in Community of Madrid, Europe. This city serves as an important regional hub with solid connectivity.
Choose this route if your priority is reaching Lisbon (Portugal) — a city of 544,851 in the Lisbon region of Europe. It is also the shorter option at 5,422 km, which translates to a 26 min flight-time saving and roughly 88 kg less CO₂ per passenger versus the alternative. This is a fly-only route in practice — overland travel is not realistic at 5,422 km. The initial bearing is 70° (ENE), so a great-circle flight leaves New York heading roughly ENE.
This route is the right call if you are heading to Madrid (Spain) — a city of 3,223,334 in the Community of Madrid region of Europe. Even though it is the longer route at 5,768 km, it remains the obvious pick when Madrid is the actual destination, when departure schedules from New York are more convenient, or when fares undercut the alternative. Overland travel is not practical for 5,768 km; flying is the realistic mode. Departing New York, the great-circle bearing toward Madrid is 66° (ENE).
New York (40.71°, -74.01°) → Lisbon (38.72°, -9.14°): New York keeps America/New_York time and Lisbon keeps Europe/Lisbon time — a gap of about 5 hours, with Lisbon 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. New York (40.71°, -74.01°) → Madrid (40.42°, -3.70°): New York keeps America/New_York time and Madrid keeps Europe/Madrid time — a gap of about 6 hours, with Madrid 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. Both gaps come from the cities' real IANA zones and move with daylight saving. Shifts of 5 hours or more typically produce noticeable jet lag — plan one recovery day per three time zones crossed.
Lisbon is closer at 5,422 km, which is 346 km (6%) shorter.
5,422 km (3,369 miles). Flight: ~7h 17min.
5,768 km (3,584 miles). Flight: ~7h 43min.
Flying to Lisbon is faster at ~7h 17min, saving about 26 min compared to Madrid.
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.