Drive or Fly: Fort Collins, CO to Paonia, 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–MTJ. At 288 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

6h 8m

Distance

288.2 mi

Total Cost

$99

CO2

116 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$64

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

4h 8m

21m in the air

Air Distance

178 mi

Total Cost

$182

CO2

45 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fort Collins, CO → CYS 63m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 21m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MTJ → Paonia, CO 44m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Paonia, CO MTJ — Montrose Regional Airport 30 mi, ~44m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between CYS and MTJ. 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

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

6h 33m

3h 14m on rail

Total Cost

$16

CO2

5 kg

Route

California Zephyr

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fort Collins, CO → Granby Amtrak Station 85m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 194m

Arrival 10m

Glenwood Springs → Paonia, CO 74m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $16) $16

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

Stations

From Granby Amtrak Station 57 mi, ~85m drive

To Glenwood Springs 49 mi, ~74m 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	6h 8m	4h 8m	6h 33m
Total cost (1 person)	$99	$182	$16
Carbon footprint	116 kg CO₂	45 kg CO₂	5 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 — 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 18, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Fort Collins, CO to Paonia, CO with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.