Drive or Fly: Coal Creek, CO to Erie, 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 36 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 5m

Distance

36.6 mi

Total Cost

$43

CO2

15 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$8

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

2m in the air

Air Distance

20 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

5 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Coal Creek, CO → BJC 21m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 2m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BJC → Erie, CO 16m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

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

Erie, CO BJC — Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport 10 mi, ~16m 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 6m

50m on road

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Greyhound US1200

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 50m

Arrival 10m

Denver Union Station Bus Concourse (DEN6) → Erie, CO 31m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $3) $3

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

Stations

From IHP6 — Idaho Springs Bus Stop 14 mi, ~20m drive

To DEN6 — Denver Union Station Bus Concourse 21 mi, ~31m 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 5m	2h 39m	2h 6m
Total cost (1 person)	$43	$121	$3
Carbon footprint	15 kg CO₂	5 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 Coal Creek, CO to Erie, CO with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.