Drive or Fly: Grand Junction, CO to Moab, UT?

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 GJT–CNY. At 113 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

2h 6m

Distance

113.4 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

2h 43m

8m in the air

Air Distance

64 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

16 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Grand Junction, CO → GJT 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 8m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

CNY → Moab, UT 25m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Grand Junction, CO GJT — Grand Junction Regional Airport 5 mi, ~10m drive

Moab, UT CNY — Canyonlands Regional Airport 17 mi, ~25m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between GJT and CNY. 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

3h 45m

1h 49m on rail

Total Cost

$17

CO2

5 kg

Route

California Zephyr

Door-to-Door Timeline

Grand Junction, CO → Grand Junction Amtrak Station 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 109m

Arrival 10m

Green River Amtrak → Moab, UT 66m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $17) $17

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

Stations

From Grand Junction Amtrak Station 1 mi, ~10m drive

To Green River Amtrak 44 mi, ~66m 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

6h 58m

3h 40m on road

Total Cost

$17

CO2

9 kg

Route

Greyhound US1200

Door-to-Door Timeline

Grand Junction, CO → Glenwood Springs (W Glenwood Mall) (GWS6) 108m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 220m

Arrival 10m

Green River (GRN6) → Moab, UT 65m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $17) $17

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

Stations

From GWS6 — Glenwood Springs (W Glenwood Mall) 72 mi, ~108m drive

To GRN6 — Green River 43 mi, ~65m 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 6m	2h 43m	3h 45m	6h 58m
Total cost (1 person)	$60	$123	$17	$17
Carbon footprint	46 kg CO₂	16 kg CO₂	5 kg CO₂	9 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 12, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Grand Junction, CO to Moab, UT with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.