Drive or Fly: Boulder, CO to Coal Creek, 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–BJC. At 23 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

46m

Distance

23.4 mi

Total Cost

$40

CO2

9 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$5

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 39m

1m in the air

Air Distance

9 mi

Total Cost

$120

CO2

2 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Boulder, CO → BJC 17m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 1m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BJC → Coal Creek, CO 21m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $120) $120

Airports

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

Coal Creek, CO BJC — Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport 14 mi, ~21m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BJC and BJC. 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 14m

54m on road

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Greyhound US1200

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 54m

Arrival 10m

Idaho Springs Bus Stop (IHP6) → Coal Creek, CO 20m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $3) $3

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

Stations

From DEN6 — Denver Union Station Bus Concourse 23 mi, ~35m drive

To IHP6 — Idaho Springs Bus Stop 14 mi, ~20m 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	46m	2h 39m	2h 14m
Total cost (1 person)	$40	$120	$3
Carbon footprint	9 kg CO₂	2 kg CO₂	2 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 Coal Creek, CO with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.