Drive or Fly: Centennial, CO to Dallas, TX?

Side-by-side comparison of driving versus flying for this route. Costs, time, and trade-offs at a glance.

Could go either way

Medium

This distance is a toss-up. Drive if you want flexibility and lower cost, fly if you value time. Connecting flights add time.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

14h 3m

Distance

781.5 mi

Total Cost

$370

CO2

316 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$190

Hotel (1 room, 1 night) $110

Meals (1 pax, 2 days) $70

+ No luggage restrictions or TSA lines

+ Stop anywhere along the route

+ Have your own car at the destination

− Requires 2 days of driving

− Driver fatigue on longer stretches

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

4h 1m

1h 18m in the air

Air Distance

650 mi

Total Cost

$287

CO2

166 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Centennial, CO → DEN 33m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 78m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DAL → Dallas, TX 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $232) $232

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Centennial, CO DEN — Denver International Airport 22 mi, ~33m drive

Dallas, TX DAL — Dallas Love Field 5 mi, ~10m drive

Flight Data

Service

Connecting only

On-Time

99.3%

Cancellation

0.7%

+ Saves about 10h 2m compared to driving

+ Less physical fatigue

+ Predictable arrival time

− Airport security and check-in overhead

− 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	14h 3m	4h 1m
Total cost (1 person)	$370	$287
Carbon footprint	316 kg CO₂	166 kg CO₂
Flexibility	High	Low
Luggage	Unlimited	Restricted
Reliability	Weather dependent	99% on-time

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 Oct 19, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

781.5 mi 14h 3m

via I 25, US 287, US 82; US 287

Alternative (+62 min)

882.9 mi 15h 6m

via I 70, I 35, I 135; US 81

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