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Drive or Fly: Pueblo, CO to Brighton, 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 PUB–DEN. At 134 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 31m

Distance

134.9 mi

Total Cost

$65

CO2

54 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$30
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 41m

14m in the air

Air Distance

120 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

31 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Pueblo, CO → PUB 10m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 14m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
DEN → Brighton, CO 17m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Pueblo, CO PUB — Pueblo Memorial Airport 7 mi, ~10m drive
Brighton, CO DEN — Denver International Airport 12 mi, ~17m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between PUB and DEN. 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

3h 28m

2h 25m on road

Total Cost

$12

CO2

6 kg

Route

Greyhound US1144

Door-to-Door Timeline

Pueblo, CO → Pueblo Transit (PUE6) 10m
Boarding 15m
Bus ride 145m
Arrival 10m
Denver Union Station Bus Concourse (DEN6) → Brighton, CO 28m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $12) $12

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

Stations

From PUE6 — Pueblo Transit 1 mi, ~10m drive
To DEN6 — Denver Union Station Bus Concourse 19 mi, ~28m 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 2h 31m 2h 41m 3h 28m
Total cost (1 person) $65 $125 $12
Carbon footprint 54 kg CO2 31 kg CO2 6 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest
134.9 mi 2h 31m

via I 25, I 25; US 24, US 85

Alternative (+0 min)
138.5 mi 2h 31m

via I 25, E470, I 25; US 24

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