Drive or Fly: Boulder, CO to Greeley, 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–DEN. At 54 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 16m

Distance

54 mi

Total Cost

$47

CO2

22 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$12

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 21m

5m in the air

Air Distance

41 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

10 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Boulder, CO → BJC 17m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 5m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DEN → Greeley, CO 59m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

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

Greeley, CO DEN — Denver International Airport 39 mi, ~59m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BJC and DEN. 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 30m

1h 5m on road

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

Greyhound US0560S

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 65m

Arrival 10m

Harmony Transfer Centre (FON6) → Greeley, CO 25m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $6) $6

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

Stations

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

To FON6 — Harmony Transfer Centre 17 mi, ~25m 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 16m	3h 21m	2h 30m
Total cost (1 person)	$47	$122	$6
Carbon footprint	22 kg CO₂	10 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 13, 2026.

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