Drive or Fly: Aurora, CO to Ouray, 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 DEN–TEX. At 346 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

6h 55m

Distance

346.1 mi

Total Cost

$108

CO2

140 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$73

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

23m in the air

Air Distance

193 mi

Total Cost

$183

CO2

49 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Aurora, CO → DEN 18m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 23m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

TEX → Ouray, CO 21m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $128) $128

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Ouray, CO TEX — Telluride Regional Airport 14 mi, ~21m drive

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 3h 53m 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	6h 55m	3h 2m
Total cost (1 person)	$108	$183
Carbon footprint	140 kg CO₂	49 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

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 Jun 3, 2026.

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