Compare: New York→Mexico City (3,359 km) vs New York→Toronto (550 km). New York → Toronto wins by 2,809 km (84%). Side-by-side with flight & drive times.
By SnapDistance Team
3,359 km
2,087 miles · Flight: ~4h 42min · Drive: ~54h 35min
550 km
342 miles · Flight: ~1h 11min · Drive: ~8h 56min
✓ Shorter route
Difference: 2,809 km (84%) · Flight time difference: ~3h 31min
Verdict
New York → Toronto is the smarter pick if travel time and emissions matter most: it is 2,809 km (84%) shorter, saves about 3h 31min of flight time, and cuts roughly 717 kg of CO₂ per passenger. Choose New York → Mexico City only if the destination itself is the reason for the trip.
New York → Toronto is the shorter route at 550 km, which is 2,809 km (84%) shorter than New York → Mexico City. You would save approximately 3h 31min in flight time by choosing the shorter route.
| Metric | New York → Mexico City | New York → Toronto |
|---|---|---|
| Distance (km) | 3,359 | 550 |
| Distance (miles) | 2,087 | 342 |
| Flight time | ~4h 42min | ~1h 11min |
| Driving time | ~54h 35min | ~8h 56min |
| Road distance (rough estimate) | ~4,367 km | ~716 km |
| Continuous road link? | Yes | Yes |
| Cross-continental | No | No |
| Initial bearing | 233° (SW) | 308° (NW) |
| Time-zone shift | -2h | None |
| CO₂ – flight (per pax) | ~857 kg | ~140 kg |
| CO₂ – driving (per car) | ~747 kg | ~122 kg |
| Fuel cost (est.) | ~$437 USD | ~$72 USD |
Flying from New York to Mexico City produces roughly 857 kg of CO₂ per passenger, based on the ICAO/EEA short-haul emission factor of ~0.255 kg per passenger-km. The New York → Toronto flight emits about 140 kg. Choosing the shorter route saves approximately 717 kg of CO₂ per traveler — equivalent to 34 typical tree-years of carbon sequestration. For comparison, driving emits roughly 747 kg and 122 kg per car respectively — meaningful only when the car carries multiple passengers.
The New York to Mexico City route covers 3,359 km (2,087 miles), staying within North America. New York (population: 8,336,817) is located in Northeast, United States, while Mexico City (population: 9,209,944) is in Central, Mexico.
The New York to Toronto route covers 550 km (342 miles), remaining within North America. New York (population: 8,336,817) is in Northeast, United States, and Toronto (population: 2,731,571) is in Ontario, Canada.
Flying from New York to Mexico City takes approximately 4h 42min, while New York to Toronto takes 1h 11min. If driving is an option, expect roughly 54h 35min for the first route and 8h 56min for the second.
Since both routes depart from New York, this comparison is especially useful for travelers deciding between Mexico City and Toronto as a destination.
The 2,809 km difference between these routes is substantial and will significantly impact travel time and cost.
Both routes have a continuous land link, with rough road estimates of about 4,367 km and 716 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.
Toronto (Canada) has a population of 2,731,571 and is situated in Ontario, North America. This city serves as an important regional hub with solid connectivity.
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 3,359 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 4,367 km of road and a fuel cost band around $437 USD. The initial bearing is 233° (SW), so a great-circle flight leaves New York heading roughly SW.
This route is the right call if you are heading to Toronto (Canada) — a city of 2,731,571 in the Ontario region of North America. It is also the shorter of the two at 550 km, saving about 3h 31min of flying and around 717 kg of CO₂ per passenger. Driving is feasible — expect roughly 716 km of road and a fuel cost in the $72 USD range. Departing New York, the great-circle bearing toward Toronto is 308° (NW).
New York (40.71°, -74.01°) → Mexico City (19.43°, -99.13°): New York keeps America/New_York time and Mexico City keeps America/Mexico_City time — a gap of about 2 hours, with Mexico City behind. 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°) → Toronto (43.65°, -79.38°): New York keeps America/New_York time and Toronto keeps America/Toronto 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.
Toronto is closer at 550 km, which is 2,809 km (84%) shorter.
3,359 km (2,087 miles). Flight: ~4h 42min.
550 km (342 miles). Flight: ~1h 11min.
Flying to Toronto is faster at ~1h 11min, saving about 3h 31min 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.