Los Angeles to Phoenix is about 435 miles (701 km) by road and 357 miles in a straight line. The drive takes around 7 hr 22 min. The distance is the same in reverse, from Phoenix to Los Angeles.
What This Distance Means for Your Trip
At 435 miles, this is a driving distance rather than a flying one — and a train or bus is often an option too. A scheduled flight would cover only about 357 miles in the air, and once you factor in getting to the airport, checking in and clearing security, that airport time alone cancels out anything saved aloft. For a trip this length, driving is almost always the practical choice.
Want the full side-by-side on time, cost and hassle? See our drive-or-fly breakdown for Los Angeles to Phoenix.
How we calculate these figures
Straight-line distance uses the great-circle (haversine) formula between each city's centre coordinates. Road distance applies a circuity factor of roughly 1.2–1.4× to reflect that roads are not straight. Driving time assumes typical blended speeds for a trip of this length, and flight time is the great-circle distance at about 875 km/h cruise plus around 30 minutes for taxi, climb, descent and approach. The door-to-door air estimate adds about three hours for airport access, check-in, security and boarding. Real figures vary with your exact route, traffic, weather, aircraft and connections.
Los Angeles to Phoenix crosses the Sonoran Desert on I-10 east — about 370 miles of wide-open Southwestern highway. The landscape shifts from LA sprawl through Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley, then into striking desert as you enter Arizona.
This is quintessential American road-trip territory: saguaro cacti, dramatic rock formations, and roadside kitsch. The drive is long but beautiful, especially in the late afternoon light.
Stops Along the Way
An iconic desert resort city about 2 hours from LA — great for a break, with mid-century architecture, hiking, and the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway.
A unique desert town famous for its gem and mineral shows — one of the quirkiest road trip stops in America.
Meeting someone from Phoenix? Find the exact halfway point between Los Angeles and Phoenix so neither of you drives the whole way — or plan evenly-spaced rest and fuel stops along the route.
Tips for This Trip
Summer heat is extreme
July and August temperatures routinely exceed 110°F (43°C) in the Sonoran Desert. Check your car's cooling system and carry extra water.
I-10 east of Indio gets scenic fast
Once you clear the Coachella Valley, the drive becomes genuinely beautiful with boulder-strewn desert and mountain ranges.
Strong tail winds are common heading east
The prevailing westerlies give you better fuel economy heading LA→Phoenix than the reverse — a nice bonus on a long drive.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Phoenix is about 300 miles (483 km) from Los Angeles in a straight line, and approximately 370 miles (595 km) by road via Interstate 10 through the Sonoran Desert.