Drive or Fly: Paonia, CO to Aurora, 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–DEN. At 242 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

5h 22m

Distance

242.5 mi

Total Cost

$89

CO2

98 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$54

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 21m

19m in the air

Air Distance

159 mi

Total Cost

$181

CO2

41 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Paonia, CO → MTJ 44m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 19m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DEN → Aurora, CO 18m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Paonia, CO MTJ — Montrose Regional Airport 30 mi, ~44m drive

Aurora, CO DEN — Denver International Airport 12 mi, ~18m drive

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 2h 1m 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

8h 53m

6h 45m on rail

Total Cost

$25

CO2

7 kg

Route

California Zephyr

Door-to-Door Timeline

Paonia, CO → Glenwood Springs 74m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 405m

Arrival 10m

Denver → Aurora, CO 14m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $25) $25

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

Stations

From Glenwood Springs 49 mi, ~74m drive

To Denver 9 mi, ~14m 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

5h 43m

3h 50m on road

Total Cost

$14

CO2

7 kg

Route

Greyhound US1200

Door-to-Door Timeline

Paonia, CO → Glenwood Springs (W Glenwood Mall) (GWS6) 74m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 230m

Arrival 10m

Denver Union Station Bus Concourse (DEN6) → Aurora, CO 14m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $14) $14

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

Stations

From GWS6 — Glenwood Springs (W Glenwood Mall) 49 mi, ~74m drive

To DEN6 — Denver Union Station Bus Concourse 9 mi, ~14m 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	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	5h 22m	3h 21m	8h 53m	5h 43m
Total cost (1 person)	$89	$181	$25	$14
Carbon footprint	98 kg CO₂	41 kg CO₂	7 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, 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 17, 2026.

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