Drive or Fly: Fraser, 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 BJC–DEN. At 85 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 1m

Distance

85.4 mi

Total Cost

$54

CO2

35 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$19

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 21m

7m in the air

Air Distance

54 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

14 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fraser, CO → BJC 56m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 7m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DEN → Aurora, CO 18m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Fraser, CO BJC — Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport 37 mi, ~56m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BJC 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

4h 3m

2h 59m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

California Zephyr

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fraser, CO → Winter Park/Fraser 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 179m

Arrival 10m

Denver → Aurora, CO 14m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $9) $9

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

Stations

From Winter Park/Fraser 0 mi, ~10m 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

2h 1m

50m on road

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Greyhound US1200

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fraser, CO → Idaho Springs Bus Stop (IHP6) 32m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 50m

Arrival 10m

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

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $3) $3

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

Stations

From IHP6 — Idaho Springs Bus Stop 21 mi, ~32m 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	2h 1m	3h 21m	4h 3m	2h 1m
Total cost (1 person)	$54	$122	$9	$3
Carbon footprint	35 kg CO₂	14 kg CO₂	3 kg CO₂	2 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 17, 2026.

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