Drive or Fly: Northglenn, CO to Longmont, 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–BJC. At 26 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

29m

Distance

26.3 mi

Total Cost

$41

CO2

11 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$6
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 40m

2m in the air

Air Distance

20 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

5 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Northglenn, CO → BJC 11m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 2m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
BJC → Longmont, CO 27m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Northglenn, CO BJC — Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport 7 mi, ~11m drive
Longmont, CO BJC — Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport 18 mi, ~27m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BJC 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
Luggage fees and restrictions
Less flexibility for stops along the way

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

2h 30m

1h 5m on road

Total Cost

$6

CO2

2 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Northglenn, CO → Denver Union Station Bus Concourse (DEN6) 30m
Boarding 15m
Bus ride 65m
Arrival 10m
Harmony Transfer Centre (FON6) → Longmont, CO 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $6) $6

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

Stations

From DEN6 — Denver Union Station Bus Concourse 0 mi, ~30m drive
To FON6 — Harmony Transfer Centre 0 mi, ~30m 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 Bus
Door-to-door time 29m 2h 40m 2h 30m
Total cost (1 person) $41 $121 $6
Carbon footprint 11 kg CO2 5 kg CO2 2 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 Northglenn, CO to Longmont, CO with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.