Drive or Fly: West Jordan, UT to Moab, UT?

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 SLC–CNY. At 224 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

4h 25m

Distance

224.2 mi

Total Cost

$85

CO2

91 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$50

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 7m

23m in the air

Air Distance

190 mi

Total Cost

$183

CO2

48 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

West Jordan, UT → SLC 19m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 23m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

CNY → Moab, UT 25m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $128) $128

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

West Jordan, UT SLC — Salt Lake City International Airport 13 mi, ~19m drive

Moab, UT CNY — Canyonlands Regional Airport 17 mi, ~25m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SLC and CNY. 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

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

6h 26m

4h 24m on rail

Total Cost

$31

CO2

9 kg

Route

California Zephyr

Door-to-Door Timeline

West Jordan, UT → Salt Lake City 16m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 264m

Arrival 10m

Green River Amtrak → Moab, UT 66m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $31) $31

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

Stations

From Salt Lake City 11 mi, ~16m drive

To Green River Amtrak 44 mi, ~66m 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	4h 25m	3h 7m	6h 26m
Total cost (1 person)	$85	$183	$31
Carbon footprint	91 kg CO₂	48 kg CO₂	9 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 12, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from West Jordan, UT to Moab, UT with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.