Drive or Fly: Loma, 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 GJT–DEN. At 273 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

5h 10m

Distance

273.6 mi

Total Cost

$96

CO2

111 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$61

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 8m

26m in the air

Air Distance

216 mi

Total Cost

$184

CO2

55 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Loma, CO → GJT 24m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 26m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DEN → Aurora, CO 18m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $129) $129

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Loma, CO GJT — Grand Junction Regional Airport 16 mi, ~24m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between GJT and DEN. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 2h 2m compared to driving

+ 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

9h 52m

8h 34m on rail

Total Cost

$39

CO2

11 kg

Route

California Zephyr

Door-to-Door Timeline

Loma, CO → Grand Junction Amtrak Station 24m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 514m

Arrival 10m

Denver → Aurora, CO 14m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $39) $39

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

Stations

From Grand Junction Amtrak Station 16 mi, ~24m 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

10h 3m

7h 35m on road

Total Cost

$31

CO2

16 kg

Route

Greyhound US1200

Door-to-Door Timeline

Loma, CO → Green River (GRN6) 109m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 455m

Arrival 10m

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

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $31) $31

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

Stations

From GRN6 — Green River 73 mi, ~109m 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	5h 10m	3h 8m	9h 52m	10h 3m
Total cost (1 person)	$96	$184	$39	$31
Carbon footprint	111 kg CO₂	55 kg CO₂	11 kg CO₂	16 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 13, 2026.

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