Compare: New York→Toronto (550 km) vs New York→Chicago (1,144 km). New York → Toronto wins by 594 km (52%). Side-by-side with flight & drive times.
By SnapDistance Team
550 km
342 miles · Flight: ~1h 11min · Drive: ~8h 56min
✓ Shorter route
1,144 km
711 miles · Flight: ~1h 56min · Drive: ~18h 35min
Difference: 594 km (52%) · Flight time difference: ~45 min
Verdict
New York → Toronto is the smarter pick if travel time and emissions matter most: it is 594 km (52%) shorter, saves about 45 min of flight time, and cuts roughly 152 kg of CO₂ per passenger. Choose New York → Chicago only if the destination itself is the reason for the trip.
New York → Toronto is the shorter route at 550 km, which is 594 km (52%) shorter than New York → Chicago. You would save approximately 45 min in flight time by choosing the shorter route.
| Metric | New York → Toronto | New York → Chicago |
|---|---|---|
| Distance (km) | 550 | 1,144 |
| Distance (miles) | 342 | 711 |
| Flight time | ~1h 11min | ~1h 56min |
| Driving time | ~8h 56min | ~18h 35min |
| Road distance (rough estimate) | ~716 km | ~1,488 km |
| Continuous road link? | Yes | Yes |
| Cross-continental | No | No |
| Initial bearing | 308° (NW) | 281° (W) |
| Time-zone shift | None | -1h |
| CO₂ – flight (per pax) | ~140 kg | ~292 kg |
| CO₂ – driving (per car) | ~122 kg | ~254 kg |
| Fuel cost (est.) | ~$72 USD | ~$149 USD |
Flying from New York to Toronto produces roughly 140 kg of CO₂ per passenger, based on the ICAO/EEA short-haul emission factor of ~0.255 kg per passenger-km. The New York → Chicago flight emits about 292 kg. Choosing the shorter route saves approximately 152 kg of CO₂ per traveler — equivalent to 7 typical tree-years of carbon sequestration. For comparison, driving emits roughly 122 kg and 254 kg per car respectively — meaningful only when the car carries multiple passengers.
The New York to Toronto route covers 550 km (342 miles), staying within North America. New York (population: 8,336,817) is located in Northeast, United States, while Toronto (population: 2,731,571) is in Ontario, Canada.
The New York to Chicago route covers 1,144 km (711 miles), remaining within North America. New York (population: 8,336,817) is in Northeast, United States, and Chicago (population: 2,693,976) is in Midwest, United States.
Flying from New York to Toronto takes approximately 1h 11min, while New York to Chicago takes 1h 56min. If driving is an option, expect roughly 8h 56min for the first route and 18h 35min for the second.
Since both routes depart from New York, this comparison is especially useful for travelers deciding between Toronto and Chicago as a destination.
The 594 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 716 km and 1,488 km — straight-line distance × 1.3, not routed drives.
Toronto (Canada) has a population of 2,731,571 and is located in the Ontario region of North America. It's a significant city with good transport links and cultural offerings.
Chicago (United States) has a population of 2,693,976 and is situated in Midwest, North America. This city serves as an important regional hub with solid connectivity.
Choose this route if your priority is reaching Toronto (Canada) — a city of 2,731,571 in the Ontario region of North America. It is also the shorter option at 550 km, which translates to a 45 min flight-time saving and roughly 152 kg less CO₂ per passenger versus the alternative. Driving is realistic at this distance, with an estimated 716 km of road and a fuel cost band around $72 USD. The initial bearing is 308° (NW), so a great-circle flight leaves New York heading roughly NW.
This route is the right call if you are heading to Chicago (United States) — a city of 2,693,976 in the Midwest region of North America. Even though it is the longer route at 1,144 km, it remains the obvious pick when Chicago is the actual destination, when departure schedules from New York are more convenient, or when fares undercut the alternative. Driving is feasible — expect roughly 1,488 km of road and a fuel cost in the $149 USD range. Departing New York, the great-circle bearing toward Chicago is 281° (W).
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. New York (40.71°, -74.01°) → Chicago (41.88°, -87.63°): New York keeps America/New_York time and Chicago keeps America/Chicago time — a gap of about 1 hour, with Chicago 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. 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 594 km (52%) shorter.
550 km (342 miles). Flight: ~1h 11min.
1,144 km (711 miles). Flight: ~1h 56min.
Flying to Toronto is faster at ~1h 11min, saving about 45 min compared to Chicago.
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.