How far is Tucson, AZ from Los Angeles, CA?

The driving distance from Tucson, AZ to Los Angeles, CA is about 488.5 miles (786.2 km), with a travel time of about 08h 46m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 441.7 miles (710.9 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 17h 33m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM MST.
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
488.53 mi
08h 46m
Flight
441.71 mi
710.87 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Tucson.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
441.71 mi
Kilometers
710.87 km
Flight Time
00h 53m

Driving Distance

Road route
488.53 mi
Kilometers
786.21 km
Drive Time
08h 46m

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 08h 46m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Los Angeles
Mon, Apr 20, 12:27 PM PDT
Return by in Tucson
Mon, Apr 20, 9:14 PM MST
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Tucson
2026-04-20T03:40
Arrive Los Angeles
Mon, Apr 20, 12:27 PM MST
Route Timing
08h 46m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM MST
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
2:47 PM to 4:17 PM PDT

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

Leave by
6:26 PM MST
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in Tucson
8:00 PM MST
Overnight-style route

You are leaving earlier than the recommended window, which gives you extra margin for breaks and traffic.

Halfway Point

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

Mid-route stop
Quartzsite
AZ

Town in La Paz County, Arizona, United States

From Tucson
244 mi
04h 23m
To Los Angeles
244.6 mi
04h 23m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
59°F
Overnight

Mostly Clear

Starts
Mon, Apr 20 2:00 AM MST
Wind
3 mph SE
Destination
73°F
Monday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Mon, Apr 20 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
0 to 10 mph SSW

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Tucson and Los Angeles.

  1. 1

    Start on North Country Club Road

    1.6 km · 2 min · North Country Club Road

  2. 2

    Turn left onto East Speedway Boulevard

    3.3 mi · 8 min · East Speedway Boulevard

  3. 3

    Turn right onto North Freeway Road

    127 m · 7 sec · North Freeway Road

  4. 4

    Take the ramp straight toward I 10 West

    1942 ft · 47 sec

  5. 5

    Merge slight left onto North Freeway

    2.5 mi · 3 min · North Freeway

  6. 6

    Continue on Casa Grande-Tucson Highway

    3.7 mi · 4 min · Casa Grande-Tucson Highway

  7. 7

    Keep slight left to continue on Casa Grande-Tucson Highway

    50.7 mi · 51 min · Casa Grande-Tucson Highway

  8. 8

    Continue on Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway

    38.1 mi · 39 min · Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway

  9. 9

    Continue on Maricopa Freeway

    12 mi · 14 min · Maricopa Freeway

  10. 10

    Keep slight left to continue on Papago Freeway

    2 mi · 2 min · Papago Freeway

  11. 11

    Keep slight left to continue on Papago Freeway

    2.7 mi · 3 min · Papago Freeway

  12. 12

    Continue on Dean Lindsey Memorial Tunnel

    2756 ft · 36 sec · Dean Lindsey Memorial Tunnel

  13. 13

    Continue on Papago Freeway

    19.6 mi · 23 min · Papago Freeway

  14. 14

    Continue on Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway

    125.4 mi · 2 hr 7 min · Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway

  15. 15

    Keep slight right

    1312 ft · 18 sec

  16. 16

    Merge slight left onto Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway

    96.8 mi · 1 hr 44 min · Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway

  17. 17

    Continue on Sonny Bono Memorial Freeway

    33.7 mi · 36 min · Sonny Bono Memorial Freeway

  18. 18

    Continue on Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway

    39.9 mi · 44 min · Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway

  19. 19

    Continue on San Bernardino Freeway

    13.9 mi · 16 min · San Bernardino Freeway

  20. 20

    Keep slight left to continue on I-10 Metro ExpressLanes

    9.3 mi · 10 min · I-10 Metro ExpressLanes

  21. 21

    Merge slight right onto San Bernardino Freeway

    1.2 mi · 1 min · San Bernardino Freeway

  22. 22

    Keep slight right to continue on San Bernardino Freeway

    1.4 km · 1 min · San Bernardino Freeway

  23. 23

    Keep slight right to continue on San Bernardino Freeway

    1.3 mi · 2 min · San Bernardino Freeway

  24. 24

    Keep slight right to continue on San Bernardino Freeway

    1.9 mi · 2 min · San Bernardino Freeway

  25. 25

    Keep slight right to continue on San Bernardino Freeway

    1.9 mi · 2 min · San Bernardino Freeway

  26. 26

    Keep slight right to continue on San Bernardino Freeway

    1.6 mi · 2 min · San Bernardino Freeway

  27. 27

    Keep slight right to continue on San Bernardino Freeway

    1.4 mi · 2 min · San Bernardino Freeway

  28. 28

    Keep slight right to continue on San Bernardino Freeway

    1.5 mi · 2 min · San Bernardino Freeway

  29. 29

    Keep slight right to continue on San Bernardino Freeway

    1.1 mi · 1 min · San Bernardino Freeway

  30. 30

    Keep slight right to continue on San Bernardino Freeway

    2 mi · 2 min · San Bernardino Freeway

  31. 31

    Keep slight right to continue on San Bernardino Freeway

    1.6 mi · 2 min · San Bernardino Freeway

  32. 32

    Keep slight right to continue on San Bernardino Freeway

    2.6 mi · 3 min · San Bernardino Freeway

  33. 33

    Keep slight right to continue on San Bernardino Freeway

    12.4 mi · 14 min · San Bernardino Freeway

  34. 34

    Merge slight left onto Santa Ana Freeway

    2349 ft · 36 sec · Santa Ana Freeway

  35. 35

    Take the exit slight right toward Alameda Street, Union Station

    798 ft · 19 sec

  36. 36

    Continue on East Arcadia Street

    988 ft · 32 sec · East Arcadia Street

  37. 37

    Turn left onto North Los Angeles Street

    1696 ft · 45 sec · North Los Angeles Street

  38. 38

    Turn right onto East 1st Street

    141 m · 18 sec · East 1st Street

  39. 39

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · West 1st Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Tucson 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
39 steps
4 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
6
4 merges, 2 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
8 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway
262 mi · 54%
Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
54.5 mi · 11%
San Bernardino Freeway
45.3 mi · 9%
Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway
38.1 mi · 8%
Sonny Bono Memorial Freeway
33.7 mi · 7%
Papago Freeway
24.3 mi · 5%
Longest Stretch

Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway

Continue on Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway

125 mi · 02h 07m

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
08h 46m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
17h 34m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+46.8 mi
441.7 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Quartzsite
04h 23m from Tucson
Leave By
6:26 PM MST
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Mostly Clear leaving Tucson and Mostly Sunny near Los Angeles.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Tucson to Los Angeles?

The road trip is about 488.5 miles (786.2 km) and usually takes 08h 46m 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?

Quartzsite is a useful midpoint, sitting about 244 miles from Tucson and 244.6 miles from Los Angeles.

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

The direct path is about 441.7 miles (710.9 km), while the road route adds roughly 46.8 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 MST. Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $85.36 one way or $170.71 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 153.2 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Clear around Tucson and Mostly Sunny near Los Angeles.

Stop Ideas Near Quartzsite

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

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Quartzsite, 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 Quartzsite.

RAIL

Yuma

111 mi away
281 Gila Street

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Tucson and Los Angeles. Straight-line distance: 441.71 mi (710.87 km).

Tucson

#1 Tucson

The second most populous city in Arizona and the center of the Tucson metropolitan area.

Population553,571
Coordinates32.2217400, -110.9264800
Altitude759
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: Tucson (-110.92648, 32.22174)
End: Los Angeles (-118.24368, 34.05223)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 786 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)16h 16m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)12h 12m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)09h 46m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)08h 08m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)06h 58m
80 mph (129 km/h)06h 05m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
17.24 gal
65.26 L · about $85.36
Round trip
$170.71
34.48 gal · 130.52 L
Estimated CO2
153.2 kg one way
Round trip: 306.4 kg / 675 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $4.95 $85.36 $170.71
Mid-grade $5.34 $92.03 $184.05
Premium $5.57 $95.96 $191.92
Diesel $6.37 $109.75 $219.50

Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.

Prices in Arizona · Apr 20, 2026

There is no time difference between Tucson and Los Angeles. The current time is 03:40:52.

Distance to Other Cities

Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.

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