Drive or Fly: Centennial, CO to Burlington, 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–MCK. At 171 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 57m

Distance

171.7 mi

Total Cost

$73

CO2

69 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$38

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

5h 33m

17m in the air

Air Distance

140 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

36 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Centennial, CO → DEN 33m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 17m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MCK → Burlington, CO 163m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

Centennial, CO DEN — Denver International Airport 22 mi, ~33m drive

Burlington, CO MCK — McCook Ben Nelson Regional Airport 109 mi, ~163m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DEN and MCK. 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

3h 30m on road

Total Cost

$19

CO2

10 kg

Route

Greyhound US1200

Door-to-Door Timeline

Centennial, CO → Denver Union Station Bus Concourse (DEN6) 21m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 210m

Arrival 10m

Goodland (Mcdonald's) (GDN6) → Burlington, CO 44m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $19) $19

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

Stations

From DEN6 — Denver Union Station Bus Concourse 14 mi, ~21m drive

To GDN6 — Goodland (Mcdonald's) 29 mi, ~44m 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	2h 57m	5h 33m	5h
Total cost (1 person)	$73	$126	$19
Carbon footprint	69 kg CO₂	36 kg CO₂	10 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

171.7 mi 2h 57m

via I 70, E470

Shortest (+1 min)

160 mi 2h 58m

via I 70, CO 86, I 25

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