Drive or Fly: Aurora, CO to Manitou Springs, CO?

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

Driving wins

Medium

No scheduled commercial flights found for DEN–COS. At 70 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 24m

Distance

70.9 mi

Total Cost

$51

CO2

29 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$16

Hotel (1 room, 0 nights) $0

Meals (1 pax, 1 day) $35

+ No luggage restrictions or TSA lines

+ Comfortable one-day drive

+ Stop anywhere along the route

+ Have your own car at the destination

+ Likely faster door-to-door than flying

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

2h 43m

7m in the air

Air Distance

60 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

15 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Aurora, CO → DEN 18m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 7m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

COS → Manitou Springs, CO 18m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Aurora, CO DEN — Denver International Airport 12 mi, ~18m drive

Manitou Springs, CO COS — City of Colorado Springs Municipal Airport 12 mi, ~18m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DEN and COS. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Less physical fatigue

+ Predictable arrival time

− Airport security and check-in overhead

− No scheduled commercial flights found for this route

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

2h 4m

1h 15m on road

Total Cost

CO2

4 kg

Route

Greyhound US1144

Door-to-Door Timeline

Aurora, CO → Denver Union Station Bus Concourse (DEN6) 14m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 75m

Arrival 10m

Colorado Springs Tejon Park-N-Ride (CSP6) → Manitou Springs, CO 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $7) $7

Estimated based on distance. Check flixbus.com for current prices.

Stations

From DEN6 — Denver Union Station Bus Concourse 9 mi, ~14m drive

To CSP6 — Colorado Springs Tejon Park-N-Ride 6 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~7/week

+ Usually the cheapest option

+ Wi-Fi and power outlets on board

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 7 trips per week

− Travel time longer than driving

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Bus
Door-to-door time	1h 24m	2h 43m	2h 4m
Total cost (1 person)	$51	$122	$7
Carbon footprint	29 kg CO₂	15 kg CO₂	4 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

Transit: FlixBus GTFS — fares estimated

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 13, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Aurora, CO to Manitou Springs, CO with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.