Drive or Fly: Thornton, CO to Akron, 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–DEN. At 108 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 59m

Distance

108.4 mi

Total Cost

$59

CO2

44 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$24

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

4h 23m

11m in the air

Air Distance

95 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

24 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Thornton, CO → BJC 12m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 11m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DEN → Akron, CO 120m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

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

Akron, CO DEN — Denver International Airport 80 mi, ~120m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BJC 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

2h 57m

1h 18m on rail

Total Cost

$14

CO2

4 kg

Route

California Zephyr

Door-to-Door Timeline

Thornton, CO → Denver 12m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 78m

Arrival 10m

Fort Morgan Amtrak Station → Akron, CO 47m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $14) $14

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

Stations

From Denver 8 mi, ~12m drive

To Fort Morgan Amtrak Station 32 mi, ~47m 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	1h 59m	4h 23m	2h 57m
Total cost (1 person)	$59	$124	$14
Carbon footprint	44 kg CO₂	24 kg CO₂	4 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 17, 2026.

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