Drive or Fly: Boulder, CO to Buena Vista, 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 BJC–ASE. At 133 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 2m

Distance

133.6 mi

Total Cost

$65

CO2

54 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$30

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

3h 39m

11m in the air

Air Distance

93 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

24 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Boulder, CO → BJC 17m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 11m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

ASE → Buena Vista, CO 71m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Boulder, CO BJC — Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport 11 mi, ~17m drive

Buena Vista, CO ASE — Aspen-Pitkin County Airport (Sardy Field) 48 mi, ~71m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BJC and ASE. 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

4h 7m

1h 50m on road

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

Greyhound US1200

Door-to-Door Timeline

Boulder, CO → Denver Union Station Bus Concourse (DEN6) 35m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 110m

Arrival 10m

Frisco Transit Center (FSC6) → Buena Vista, CO 77m

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 23 mi, ~35m drive

To FSC6 — Frisco Transit Center 52 mi, ~77m 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	3h 2m	3h 39m	4h 7m
Total cost (1 person)	$65	$124	$7
Carbon footprint	54 kg CO₂	24 kg CO₂	3 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 15, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Boulder, CO to Buena Vista, CO with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.