Drive or Fly: Denver, CO to Cañon City, 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–COS. At 113 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

2h 26m

Distance

113.9 mi

Total Cost

$60

CO2

46 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$25

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 30m

11m in the air

Air Distance

91 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

23 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Denver, CO → BJC 21m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 11m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

COS → Cañon City, CO 58m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

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

Cañon City, CO COS — City of Colorado Springs Municipal Airport 39 mi, ~58m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BJC and COS. 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 41m

1h 15m on road

Total Cost

CO2

4 kg

Route

Greyhound US1144

Door-to-Door Timeline

Denver, CO → Denver Union Station Bus Concourse (DEN6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 75m

Arrival 10m

Colorado Springs Tejon Park-N-Ride (CSP6) → Cañon City, CO 51m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $7) $7

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

Stations

From DEN6 — Denver Union Station Bus Concourse 1 mi, ~10m drive

To CSP6 — Colorado Springs Tejon Park-N-Ride 34 mi, ~51m 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 26m	3h 30m	2h 41m
Total cost (1 person)	$60	$124	$7
Carbon footprint	46 kg CO₂	23 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 Denver, CO to Cañon City, CO with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.