Drive or Fly: Monte Vista, CO to Denver, 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 ALS–BJC. At 214 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

4h 52m

Distance

214.4 mi

Total Cost

$83

CO2

87 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$48

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

19m in the air

Air Distance

162 mi

Total Cost

$181

CO2

41 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Monte Vista, CO → ALS 28m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 19m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BJC → Denver, CO 21m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Monte Vista, CO ALS — San Luis Valley Regional Airport/Bergman Field 18 mi, ~28m drive

Denver, CO BJC — Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport 14 mi, ~21m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ALS and BJC. 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

6h 7m

3h 40m on road

Total Cost

$16

CO2

9 kg

Route

Greyhound US1140

Door-to-Door Timeline

Monte Vista, CO → Walsenburg (Paperback Trading Post) (WSG6) 112m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 220m

Arrival 10m

Denver Union Station Bus Concourse (DEN6) → Denver, CO 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $16) $16

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

Stations

From WSG6 — Walsenburg (Paperback Trading Post) 75 mi, ~112m drive

To DEN6 — Denver Union Station Bus Concourse 1 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~8/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 8 trips per week

− Travel time longer than driving

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Bus
Door-to-door time	4h 52m	3h 8m	6h 7m
Total cost (1 person)	$83	$181	$16
Carbon footprint	87 kg CO₂	41 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: 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 Monte Vista, CO to Denver, CO with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.