Drive or Fly: Greeley, CO to Buena Vista, 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 DEN–ASE. At 181 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 47m

Distance

181.3 mi

Total Cost

$75

CO2

73 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$40

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 26m

16m in the air

Air Distance

133 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

34 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Greeley, CO → DEN 59m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 16m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

ASE → Buena Vista, CO 71m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Greeley, CO DEN — Denver International Airport 39 mi, ~59m drive

Buena Vista, CO ASE — Aspen-Pitkin County Airport (Sardy Field) 48 mi, ~71m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DEN and ASE. 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	3h 47m	4h 26m
Total cost (1 person)	$75	$125
Carbon footprint	73 kg CO₂	34 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 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

181.3 mi 3h 47m

via US 285, I 76, CR 49

Shortest (+4 min)

181.1 mi 3h 51m

via US 285, I 25, US 34 Business

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