Drive or Fly: Arvada, CO to Chandler, AZ?

Side-by-side comparison of driving versus flying for this route. Costs, time, and trade-offs at a glance.

Flying wins

Medium

Flying saves significant time at this distance. Consider driving only if you enjoy the road trip.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

15h 45m

Distance

867.2 mi

Total Cost

$371

CO2

350 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$191

Hotel (1 room, 1 night) $110

Meals (1 pax, 2 days) $70

+ No luggage restrictions or TSA lines

+ Stop anywhere along the route

+ Have your own car at the destination

− Requires 2 days of driving

− Driver fatigue on longer stretches

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

3h 37m

1h 10m in the air

Air Distance

584 mi

Total Cost

$198

CO2

149 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Arvada, CO → BJC 11m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 70m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

AZA → Chandler, AZ 16m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $143) $143

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Arvada, CO BJC — Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport 8 mi, ~11m drive

Chandler, AZ AZA — Mesa Gateway Airport 11 mi, ~16m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BJC and AZA. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 12h 8m compared to driving

+ Less physical fatigue

+ Predictable arrival time

− Airport security and check-in overhead

− No scheduled commercial flights found for this route

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	15h 45m	3h 37m
Total cost (1 person)	$371	$198
Carbon footprint	350 kg CO₂	149 kg CO₂
Flexibility	High	Low
Luggage	Unlimited	Restricted
Reliability	Weather dependent	Data unavailable

Drive data: OSRM routing, EIA fuel prices

Flight data: Statistical estimate

Airports: OurAirports

Confidence: Medium — airports identified, fares estimated

Costs are estimates. Actual flight prices vary by airline, date, and booking time. Drive costs based on OSRM routing, EIA fuel prices. Computed Apr 15, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Arvada, CO to Chandler, AZ with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.