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Distance between cities

Madrid to Mexico City distance

Madrid and Mexico City are 9,078 km (5,641 mi) apart in a straight line, the shortest route and the closest to what planes fly. There’s no road between them: the straight line crosses 8,098 km of sea, 89% of the way. A direct flight would take about 11 hr 50 min. Below you’ll find the map, what lies under the route, the halfway point, the time difference, the arrival time and the constant-bearing route, and where every figure comes from.

By the All Map Tools Team

Map from Madrid to Mexico City: the straight line and the constant-bearing line
Straight line
9,078 km (5,641 mi)
Approximate flight
11 hr 50 min
Time difference (Jan / Jul)
7 / 8 hours behind
  • Straight line
  • Constant bearing (rhumb line)
  • Straight-line midpoint
Distance between two points

Lambert azimuthal equal-area projection centered on the midpoint. Straight line (geodesic) and rhumb line on the WGS84 ellipsoid; countries from Natural Earth.

The figures

Figure Value
Straight line 9,078 km (5,641 mi) geodesic on the WGS84 ellipsoid: the shortest route
Approximate flight 11 hr 50 min estimate: 30 min + the straight line at 800 km/h
Time difference 7 hours behind in January · 8 hours behind in July Mexico City compared with Madrid
Bearing 288° (west) leaving Madrid; it reaches Mexico City on 230°
Constant bearing 9,421 km (5,854 mi) rhumb line, bearing 256°: 3.8% longer
Over the sea 8,098 km (5,032 mi) 89% of the straight line
Flies over Spain, Portugal, the United States, and Mexico countries under the straight line, in order (Natural Earth)
Midpoint 40.4192° N, 58.0726° W at sea, 625 km from St Peters (Nova Scotia, Canada)
Northernmost point 43.7667° N, 31.2581° W 3.3° farther north than Madrid
Population Madrid: 3,506,730 · Mexico City: 12,294,193 INE population register, January 1, 2025; GeoNames

Madrid to Mexico City in a straight line

In a straight line, the shortest distance over the Earth’s surface, Madrid and Mexico City are 9,078 km (5,641 mi) apart, 23% of the way around the Earth at the equator. That’s the geodesic on the WGS84 ellipsoid, the distance “as the crow flies”. There’s no road between them: the straight line crosses 8,098 km of sea, 89% of the way.

From Madrid, Mexico City lies to the west (bearing 288°), and from Mexico City, Madrid lies to the northeast. The straight line reaches Mexico City on a bearing of 230°: the bearing keeps turning along the way (58° in all), which is why the shortest route looks curved on a flat map.

If the plane kept the same bearing all the way (256°, to the west), it would follow the rhumb line, the one that looks straight on a Mercator map: 9,421 km (5,854 mi), 343 km more (3.8% longer). That’s why long routes don’t look “straight” on a map: the curve is the short way.

What the route flies over

Under the straight line there are 8,098 km of sea (89%) and 980 km of land. In order, from Madrid: 270 km over Spain, 180 km over Portugal, 275 km over the United States, and 255 km over Mexico.

The straight line climbs to 43.8° N (at 43.7667° N, 31.2581° W), 3.3° farther north than Madrid: on a sphere that’s the short way, even if it looks like a detour on a flat map. Planes don’t follow the line exactly: they fly along airways, chase tailwinds and avoid closed airspace, but on long flights they stay close to it.

Halfway between Madrid and Mexico City

Halfway along the straight line, 4,539 km (2,820 mi) from each city, is the point 40.4192° N, 58.0726° W. It falls at sea; the nearest town is St Peters (Nova Scotia, Canada, pop. 2,634), 625 km away.

Time difference and flight

A direct flight would take about 11 hr 50 min. That’s an estimate: 30 minutes for takeoff, climb, descent and landing, plus the 9,078 km straight line at 800 km/h (about 497 mph), a typical airliner cruising speed. Real schedules depend on wind, routing and airports, and not every pair has a direct flight. Westbound flights usually take a little longer than eastbound ones because of high-altitude winds (the jet stream).

In January, Mexico City is 7 hours behind Madrid; in July, 8 hours behind Madrid. It changes because they don’t switch to summer time together.

With that flight time, if you leave Madrid at 10:00, you land in Mexico City around 14:50 (Mexico City time) in January and around 13:50 in July.

The two cities

Mexico City is 21.0° farther south than Madrid and 95.4° farther west. Madrid has 3.5 million people (INE population register, January 1, 2025) and Mexico City 12.3 million people (GeoNames).

Frequently asked questions

How many kilometers is it from Madrid to Mexico City?

9,078 km (5,641 mi) in a straight line, the shortest route. There’s no road between them: the straight line crosses 8,098 km of sea, 89% of the way.

How long is the flight from Madrid to Mexico City?

About 11 hr 50 min, estimated from the straight-line distance (9,078 km): 30 minutes for takeoff and landing plus the trip at 800 km/h. Real flight times vary with wind and routing.

What’s the time difference between Madrid and Mexico City?

It depends on the season: 7 hours behind in January and 8 hours behind in July (Mexico City compared with Madrid).

Where is the halfway point between Madrid and Mexico City?

At 40.4192° N, 58.0726° W, 4,539 km from each city: at sea, 625 km from St Peters (Nova Scotia, Canada).

Can you drive from Madrid to Mexico City?

No: the straight line crosses 8,098 km of sea, 89% of the way. You have to fly or go by sea.

Measure it yourself on the map

The same two cities, already set up in the tools: move the points, find the midpoint or compare the time.

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Sources