Drive or Fly: Longmont, CO to New Castle, 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–EGE. At 194 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 53m

Distance

194.2 mi

Total Cost

$78

CO2

78 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$43

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 33m

16m in the air

Air Distance

135 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

35 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Longmont, CO → BJC 27m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 16m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

EGE → New Castle, CO 50m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Longmont, CO BJC — Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport 18 mi, ~27m drive

New Castle, CO EGE — Eagle County Regional Airport 33 mi, ~50m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BJC and EGE. 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

7h 31m

5h 50m on rail

Total Cost

$25

CO2

7 kg

Route

California Zephyr

Door-to-Door Timeline

Longmont, CO → Denver 44m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 350m

Arrival 10m

Glenwood Springs → New Castle, CO 17m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $25) $25

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

Stations

From Denver 29 mi, ~44m drive

To Glenwood Springs 11 mi, ~17m 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	3h 53m	3h 33m	7h 31m
Total cost (1 person)	$78	$125	$25
Carbon footprint	78 kg CO₂	35 kg CO₂	7 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 Longmont, CO to New Castle, CO with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.