Drive or Fly: Thornton, CO to Delta, 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–MTJ. At 283 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

5h 28m

Distance

283.2 mi

Total Cost

$98

CO2

114 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$63

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 2m

22m in the air

Air Distance

183 mi

Total Cost

$182

CO2

47 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Thornton, CO → BJC 12m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 22m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MTJ → Delta, CO 28m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Delta, CO MTJ — Montrose Regional Airport 19 mi, ~28m drive

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 2h 26m 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

9h 28m

7h 44m on rail

Total Cost

$39

CO2

11 kg

Route

California Zephyr

Door-to-Door Timeline

Thornton, CO → Denver 12m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 464m

Arrival 10m

Grand Junction Amtrak Station → Delta, CO 52m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $39) $39

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

Stations

From Denver 8 mi, ~12m drive

To Grand Junction Amtrak Station 35 mi, ~52m 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

6h 4m

3h 45m on road

Total Cost

$14

CO2

7 kg

Route

Greyhound US1200

Door-to-Door Timeline

Thornton, CO → Denver Union Station Bus Concourse (DEN6) 12m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 225m

Arrival 10m

Glenwood Springs (W Glenwood Mall) (GWS6) → Delta, CO 102m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $14) $14

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

Stations

From DEN6 — Denver Union Station Bus Concourse 8 mi, ~12m drive

To GWS6 — Glenwood Springs (W Glenwood Mall) 68 mi, ~102m 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 28m	3h 2m	9h 28m	6h 4m
Total cost (1 person)	$98	$182	$39	$14
Carbon footprint	114 kg CO₂	47 kg CO₂	11 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 12, 2026.

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