Drive or Fly: Cripple Creek, CO to Thornton, 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 COS–BJC. At 120 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

2h 42m

Distance

120.6 mi

Total Cost

$62

CO2

49 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$27

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

9m in the air

Air Distance

78 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

20 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Cripple Creek, CO → COS 39m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 9m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BJC → Thornton, CO 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Cripple Creek, CO COS — City of Colorado Springs Municipal Airport 26 mi, ~39m drive

Thornton, CO BJC — Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport 8 mi, ~12m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between COS 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 31m

1h 25m on road

Total Cost

CO2

4 kg

Route

Greyhound US1144

Door-to-Door Timeline

Cripple Creek, CO → Colorado Springs Tejon Park-N-Ride (CSP6) 29m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 85m

Arrival 10m

Denver Union Station Bus Concourse (DEN6) → Thornton, CO 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $7) $7

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

Stations

From CSP6 — Colorado Springs Tejon Park-N-Ride 20 mi, ~29m drive

To DEN6 — Denver Union Station Bus Concourse 8 mi, ~12m 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 42m	3h	2h 31m
Total cost (1 person)	$62	$123	$7
Carbon footprint	49 kg CO₂	20 kg CO₂	4 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 Cripple Creek, CO to Thornton, CO with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.