Drive or Fly: Moab, UT to West Jordan, 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 CNY–SLC. At 224 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

4h 25m

Distance

224 mi

Total Cost

$85

CO2

90 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$50
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 7m

23m in the air

Air Distance

190 mi

Total Cost

$183

CO2

48 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Moab, UT → CNY 25m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 23m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
SLC → West Jordan, UT 19m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $128) $128
Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Moab, UT CNY — Canyonlands Regional Airport 17 mi, ~25m drive
West Jordan, UT SLC — Salt Lake City International Airport 13 mi, ~19m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between CNY and SLC. 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
May need a rental car at destination
Luggage fees and restrictions
Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

6h 45m

4h 43m on rail

Total Cost

$31

CO2

9 kg

Route

California Zephyr

Door-to-Door Timeline

Moab, UT → Green River Amtrak 66m
Boarding 30m
Train ride 283m
Arrival 10m
Salt Lake City → West Jordan, UT 16m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $31) $31

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

Stations

From Green River Amtrak 44 mi, ~66m drive
To Salt Lake City 11 mi, ~16m 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 4h 25m 3h 7m 6h 45m
Total cost (1 person) $85 $183 $31
Carbon footprint 90 kg CO2 48 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 — 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 Moab, UT to West Jordan, UT with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.