The invention discloses a measurement method for machine tool total travel space errors. The measurement method comprises the following steps of (1) determining a measurement gap [delta]L according to the each axis travel of a machine tool and requirements of each axis measurement data point, determining the space measurement point number of the machine tool according to [delta]L, and planning a measurement path; (2) installing each component of the machine tool and carrying out beam focusing, then running the machine tool to the coordinates zero of X, Y, Z axes; (3) measuring the error of all points on the planes in the total travel space of the machine tool in the order of measurement of the line, surface and space according to the planned measurement path; and (4) solving the error of any point in the total travel space of the machine tool according to the error of the measured point in the total travel space of the machine tool. The method can realize the measurement of the error of the total travel space of the machine tool through one-step installation and beam focusing, the measurement is quick, the error value is applied to the real-time compensation of the numerical control system, and the method has the advantages of small computation and high precision.