Drive or Fly: Denver, CO to Columbia, SC?

Side-by-side comparison of driving versus flying for this route. Costs, time, and trade-offs at a glance.

Flying wins

Medium

Flying saves significant time at this distance. Consider driving only if you enjoy the road trip.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

28h 56m

Distance

1596.5 mi

Total Cost

$677

CO2

645 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$352

Hotel (1 room, 2 nights) $220

Meals (1 pax, 3 days) $105

+ No luggage restrictions or TSA lines

+ Stop anywhere along the route

+ Have your own car at the destination

− Requires 3 days of driving

− Driver fatigue on longer stretches

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

5h 16m

2h 45m in the air

Air Distance

1377 mi

Total Cost

$345

CO2

351 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Denver, CO → BJC 21m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 165m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

CAE → Columbia, SC 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $290) $290

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Columbia, SC CAE — Columbia Metropolitan Airport 7 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BJC and CAE. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 23h 40m compared to driving

+ Less physical fatigue

+ Predictable arrival time

− Airport security and check-in overhead

− No scheduled commercial flights found for this route

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	28h 56m	5h 16m
Total cost (1 person)	$677	$345
Carbon footprint	645 kg CO₂	351 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

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

1596.5 mi 28h 56m

via I 70, I 24, I 70; US 40

Alternative (+40 min)

1687.5 mi 29h 36m

via I 70, I 20, I 40

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