Drive or Fly: Montrose, CO to Thornton, 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 MTJ–BJC. At 303 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

5h 58m

Distance

303.3 mi

Total Cost

$102

CO2

123 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$67

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

2h 44m

22m in the air

Air Distance

183 mi

Total Cost

$182

CO2

47 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Montrose, CO → MTJ 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 22m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BJC → Thornton, CO 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Montrose, CO MTJ — Montrose Regional Airport 2 mi, ~10m drive

Thornton, CO BJC — Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport 8 mi, ~12m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MTJ and BJC. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 3h 14m 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

10h 49m

8h 34m on rail

Total Cost

$39

CO2

11 kg

Route

California Zephyr

Door-to-Door Timeline

Montrose, CO → Grand Junction Amtrak Station 83m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 514m

Arrival 10m

Denver → Thornton, CO 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $39) $39

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

Stations

From Grand Junction Amtrak Station 55 mi, ~83m drive

To Denver 8 mi, ~12m 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	5h 58m	2h 44m	10h 49m
Total cost (1 person)	$102	$182	$39
Carbon footprint	123 kg CO₂	47 kg CO₂	11 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 13, 2026.

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