Drive or Fly: Fort Collins, CO to Aurora, 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 CYS–DEN. At 76 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 14m

Distance

76.6 mi

Total Cost

$52

CO2

31 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$17

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 28m

7m in the air

Air Distance

61 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

15 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fort Collins, CO → CYS 63m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 7m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DEN → Aurora, CO 18m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Fort Collins, CO CYS — Cheyenne Regional Jerry Olson Field 42 mi, ~63m drive

Aurora, CO DEN — Denver International Airport 12 mi, ~18m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between CYS and DEN. 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

5h 52m

3h 33m on rail

Total Cost

$11

CO2

3 kg

Route

California Zephyr

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fort Collins, CO → Granby Amtrak Station 85m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 213m

Arrival 10m

Denver → Aurora, CO 14m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $11) $11

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

Stations

From Granby Amtrak Station 57 mi, ~85m drive

To Denver 9 mi, ~14m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~1/week

+ Spacious seating with legroom and power outlets

+ Walk around freely during the trip

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 1 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

1h 54m

1h 5m on road

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

Greyhound US0560S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fort Collins, CO → Harmony Transfer Centre (FON6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 65m

Arrival 10m

Denver Union Station Bus Concourse (DEN6) → Aurora, CO 14m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $6) $6

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

Stations

From FON6 — Harmony Transfer Centre 6 mi, ~10m drive

To DEN6 — Denver Union Station Bus Concourse 9 mi, ~14m 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	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	1h 14m	3h 28m	5h 52m	1h 54m
Total cost (1 person)	$52	$122	$11	$6
Carbon footprint	31 kg CO₂	15 kg CO₂	3 kg CO₂	3 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: Amtrak GTFS, 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 Fort Collins, CO to Aurora, CO with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.