How far is New York, NY from Los Angeles, CA?

The driving distance from New York, NY to Los Angeles, CA is about 2721.1 miles (4379.2 km), with a travel time of about 48h 44m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 2364.3 miles (3805 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 97h 29m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM EDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
2721.1 mi
48h 44m
Flight
2364.34 mi
3805.04 km direct

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from New York.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
2364.34 mi
Kilometers
3805.04 km
Flight Time
04h 45m

Driving Distance

Road route
2721.1 mi
Kilometers
4379.19 km
Drive Time
48h 44m

Gas Cost Calculator

Leave and Arrive Planner

Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.

Drive time stays fixed at 48h 44m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Los Angeles
Mon, Aug 31, 3:45 AM PDT
Return by in New York
Wed, Sep 2, 7:30 AM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave New York
2026-08-29T06:01
Arrive Los Angeles
Mon, Aug 31, 6:45 AM EDT
Route Timing
48h 44m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM EDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
3:45 AM to 5:15 AM PDT

Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

Leave by
10:30 AM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in New York
8:00 PM EDT
Overnight-style route

This departure sits inside the recommended comfort window for the route.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
Elm Creek
NE

Human settlement in Buffalo County, Nebraska, United States of America

From New York
1358.4 mi
24h 22m
To Los Angeles
1362.6 mi
24h 22m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
72°F
Saturday

Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Rain Showers

Starts
Sat, Aug 29 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
3 to 9 mph W
Destination
92°F
Saturday

Sunny

Starts
Sat, Aug 29 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
0 to 10 mph SSW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between New York and Los Angeles.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between New York and Los Angeles.

  1. 1

    Start on the route

    130 m · 34 sec

  2. 2

    Turn right onto State Highway 26

    3.5 mi · 6 min · State Highway 26

  3. 3

    At the end of the road, turn right

    830 ft · 17 sec

  4. 4

    Keep slight right to continue on Youngs Road

    1.3 mi · 2 min · Youngs Road

  5. 5

    Turn right onto Stuhlman Road

    1.1 mi · 2 min · Stuhlman Road

  6. 6

    Turn left onto Seneca Street

    1.2 km · 1 min · Seneca Street

  7. 7

    Turn right onto Verona Street

    3198 ft · 54 sec · Verona Street

  8. 8

    Continue on Highway 31

    3.4 mi · 5 min · Highway 31

  9. 9

    Turn left

    1.5 km · 2 min

  10. 10

    Turn left

    2339 ft · 59 sec

  11. 11

    Keep slight left to continue on I 90 West

    1.1 km · 1 min

  12. 12

    Merge slight left onto New York State Thruway

    175.9 mi · 3 hr 25 min · New York State Thruway

  13. 13

    Keep slight left to continue on New York State Thruway

    67.2 mi · 1 hr 18 min · New York State Thruway

  14. 14

    Continue on AMVETS Memorial Highway

    100.1 mi · 1 hr 55 min · AMVETS Memorial Highway

  15. 15

    Keep slight right

    1.3 mi · 2 min

  16. 16

    Keep slight right to continue on Euclid Spur

    3.8 mi · 5 min · Euclid Spur

  17. 17

    Merge slight right onto Lakeland Freeway

    8.8 mi · 11 min · Lakeland Freeway

  18. 18

    Continue on Cleveland Memorial Shoreway

    1.9 mi · 3 min · Cleveland Memorial Shoreway

  19. 19

    Keep slight left to continue on Innerbelt

    1.9 mi · 3 min · Innerbelt

  20. 20

    Keep slight left to continue on Innerbelt

    1.7 mi · 2 min · Innerbelt

  21. 21

    Keep slight right to continue on I 90 East, I 71 South, SR 176 South

    26.2 mi · 32 min

  22. 22

    Keep slight left to continue on Ohio Turnpike Connector

    144.5 mi · 2 hr 35 min · Ohio Turnpike Connector

  23. 23

    Continue on Indiana Toll Road

    135.8 mi · 2 hr 27 min · Indiana Toll Road

  24. 24

    Take the exit slight right toward I 80 West, I 94, US 6: Des Moines

    3216 ft · 1 min

  25. 25

    Keep slight right to continue on I 94 West, I 80 West, SR 51, US 6 East

    543 ft · 13 sec

  26. 26

    Keep slight left to continue on I 94 West, I 80 West

    14.2 mi · 20 min

  27. 27

    Take the exit slight right toward US 41 North: Calumet Avenue, Hammond, Munster

    1047 ft · 16 sec

  28. 28

    Keep slight left to continue on Calumet Avenue South

    1187 ft · 18 sec

  29. 29

    Keep slight left

    1805 ft · 28 sec

  30. 30

    Merge slight left onto Borman Expressway

    2724 ft · 42 sec · Borman Expressway

  31. 31

    Continue on Kingery Expressway

    1.3 km · 1 min · Kingery Expressway

  32. 32

    Take the exit slight right toward IL 394 South, I 94 West: Danville, Chicago

    1.5 mi · 2 min

  33. 33

    Keep slight left to continue on I 80 West, I 294 North

    1703 ft · 26 sec

  34. 34

    Merge slight left onto Tri-State Tollway

    4.8 mi · 7 min · Tri-State Tollway

  35. 35

    Keep slight right to continue on I 80 West: Iowa

    145.4 mi · 2 hr 41 min

  36. 36

    Keep slight left to continue on I 74 West, I 280 West: Moline, Rock Island

    9.6 mi · 10 min

  37. 37

    Keep slight left to continue on I 280 West: Des Moines

    82 mi · 1 hr 30 min

  38. 38

    Continue straight

    102 mi · 1 hr 51 min

  39. 39

    Keep slight right to continue on I 80 West: Omaha

    95.5 mi · 1 hr 43 min

  40. 40

    Keep slight left to continue on I 80 West: Council Bluffs, Omaha Nebraska

    23.7 mi · 26 min

  41. 41

    Keep slight left to continue on I 80 West Express: Council Bluffs, Omaha

    355.4 mi · 6 hr 3 min

  42. 42

    Keep slight right to continue on I 76 West: Denver

    188 mi · 3 hr 10 min

  43. 43

    Merge slight left

    501.7 mi · 8 hr 38 min

  44. 44

    Keep slight left to continue on I 15 South: Las Vegas

    1.2 mi · 3 min

  45. 45

    Merge slight left onto Veterans Memorial Highway

    160.9 mi · 2 hr 40 min · Veterans Memorial Highway

  46. 46

    Continue on Las Vegas Freeway

    123.8 mi · 2 hr 10 min · Las Vegas Freeway

  47. 47

    Continue on Barstow and Mojave Freeway

    5.7 mi · 6 min · Barstow and Mojave Freeway

  48. 48

    Keep slight left to continue on Barstow and Mojave Freeway

    1.4 km · 57 sec · Barstow and Mojave Freeway

  49. 49

    Merge slight right

    151.2 mi · 2 hr 43 min

  50. 50

    Continue on CHP Officer Larry L. Wetterling and San Bernardino County Sheriff's Lieutenant Alfred E. Stewart Memorial Highway

    5.6 mi · 6 min · CHP Officer Larry L. Wetterling and San Bernardino County Sheriff's Lieutenant Alfred E. Stewart Memorial Highway

  51. 51

    Continue on Barstow and Mojave Freeway

    6.3 mi · 7 min · Barstow and Mojave Freeway

  52. 52

    Take the exit slight left

    14.8 mi · 16 min

  53. 53

    Take the exit slight right toward I 10 West: Los Angeles

    2597 ft · 1 min

  54. 54

    Merge slight left onto San Bernardino Freeway

    1.5 mi · 2 min · San Bernardino Freeway

  55. 55

    Take the exit slight left

    62 m · 5 sec

  56. 56

    Merge slight left onto I-10 Metro ExpressLanes

    7.3 mi · 8 min · I-10 Metro ExpressLanes

  57. 57

    Merge slight right onto San Bernardino Freeway

    1.2 mi · 1 min · San Bernardino Freeway

  58. 58

    Keep slight right to continue on San Bernardino Freeway

    1.4 km · 1 min · San Bernardino Freeway

  59. 59

    Keep slight right to continue on San Bernardino Freeway

    1.3 mi · 2 min · San Bernardino Freeway

  60. 60

    Keep slight right to continue on San Bernardino Freeway

    1.9 mi · 2 min · San Bernardino Freeway

  61. 61

    Keep slight right to continue on San Bernardino Freeway

    1.9 mi · 2 min · San Bernardino Freeway

  62. 62

    Keep slight right to continue on San Bernardino Freeway

    1.6 mi · 2 min · San Bernardino Freeway

  63. 63

    Keep slight right to continue on San Bernardino Freeway

    1.4 mi · 2 min · San Bernardino Freeway

  64. 64

    Keep slight right to continue on San Bernardino Freeway

    1.5 mi · 2 min · San Bernardino Freeway

  65. 65

    Keep slight right to continue on San Bernardino Freeway

    1.1 mi · 1 min · San Bernardino Freeway

  66. 66

    Keep slight right to continue on San Bernardino Freeway

    2 mi · 2 min · San Bernardino Freeway

  67. 67

    Keep slight right to continue on San Bernardino Freeway

    1.6 mi · 2 min · San Bernardino Freeway

  68. 68

    Keep slight right to continue on San Bernardino Freeway

    2.6 mi · 3 min · San Bernardino Freeway

  69. 69

    Keep slight right to continue on San Bernardino Freeway

    12.4 mi · 14 min · San Bernardino Freeway

  70. 70

    Merge slight left onto Santa Ana Freeway

    2349 ft · 36 sec · Santa Ana Freeway

  71. 71

    Take the exit slight right toward Alameda Street, Union Station

    798 ft · 19 sec

  72. 72

    Continue on East Arcadia Street

    988 ft · 32 sec · East Arcadia Street

  73. 73

    Turn left onto North Los Angeles Street

    1696 ft · 45 sec · North Los Angeles Street

  74. 74

    Turn right onto East 1st Street

    141 m · 18 sec · East 1st Street

  75. 75

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · West 1st Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between New York and Los Angeles.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Long-distance drive

This route is long enough that fuel, rest stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single maneuver.

Directions
75 steps
10 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
18
11 merges, 7 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
2.8 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I 76 West
690 mi · 25%
I 80 West Express
355 mi · 13%
I 80 West
266 mi · 10%
New York State Thruway
243 mi · 9%
I 280 West
184 mi · 7%
Barstow and Mojave Freeway
179 mi · 7%
Longest Stretch

I 76 West

Merge slight left

502 mi · 08h 38m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

Better with a longer stop

This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.

Drive Time
48h 44m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
97h 30m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+356.8 mi
2364.3 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Elm Creek
24h 22m from New York
Leave By
10:30 AM EDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Rain Showers leaving New York and Sunny near Los Angeles.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from New York to Los Angeles?

The road trip is about 2721.1 miles (4379.2 km) and usually takes 48h 44m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Elm Creek is a useful midpoint, sitting about 1358.4 miles from New York and 1362.6 miles from Los Angeles.

How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?

The direct path is about 2364.3 miles (3805 km), while the road route adds roughly 356.8 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.

When is the best time to leave for this route?

A good departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM EDT. Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

Do you cross a time zone on this route?

Yes. There is about a 3 hour time difference between New York and Los Angeles, so arrival and return times should be read in local time.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Rain Showers around New York and Sunny near Los Angeles.

Stop Ideas Near Elm Creek

Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Elm Creek, so nearby transit and meeting points are shown instead.
Reviewed stop coverage is still thin around this midpoint, so practical transit waypoints are shown on the right.

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Elm Creek.

RAIL

Holdrege

31 mi away
100 West Ave.
RAIL

Hastings

84 mi away
501 West First St.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between New York and Los Angeles. Straight-line distance: 2364.34 mi (3805.04 km).

New York

#1 New York

Located in the northeastern United States, it is home to New York City, Albany, and Buffalo.

Population19,336,776
Coordinates43.0003500, -75.4999000
Altitude281
CountryUnited States
Los Angeles

#2 Los Angeles

The second most populous city in the United States and the center of the Los Angeles metropolitan area.

Population3,970,219
Coordinates34.0522300, -118.2436800
Altitude89
CountryUnited States
Start: New York (-75.4999, 43.00035)
End: Los Angeles (-118.24368, 34.05223)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 4379 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)90h 39m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)68h 01m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)54h 25m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)45h 21m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)38h 52m
80 mph (129 km/h)33h 56m
Please keep in mind that there is a 3 hours time gap between New York and Los Angeles, CA. The current time in New York is 06:01:07, although it is 03:01:07 in Los Angeles.

Distance to Other Cities

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.