Drive or Fly: Delta, CO to Denver, 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 MTJ–BJC. At 276 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

5h 24m

Distance

276.2 mi

Total Cost

$102

CO2

112 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$67

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 10m

21m in the air

Air Distance

179 mi

Total Cost

$182

CO2

46 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Delta, CO → MTJ 28m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 21m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BJC → Denver, CO 21m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Denver, CO BJC — Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport 14 mi, ~21m drive

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 2h 14m 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

10h 21m

8h 41m on rail

Total Cost

$39

CO2

16 kg

Route

California Zephyr

Door-to-Door Timeline

Delta, CO → Grand Junction Amtrak Station (GJT) 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 521m

Arrival 10m

Denver (DEN) → Denver, CO 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $39) $39

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

Stations

From GJT — Grand Junction Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~30m drive

To DEN — Denver 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~6/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 6 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

6h 5m

4h 40m on road

Total Cost

$18

CO2

16 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Delta, CO → Parachute, CO (PSY6) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 280m

Arrival 10m

Denver Union Station Bus Concourse (DEN6) → Denver, CO 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $18) $18

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

Stations

From PSY6 — Parachute, CO 0 mi, ~30m drive

To DEN6 — Denver Union Station Bus Concourse 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~10/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 10 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 24m	3h 10m	10h 21m	6h 5m
Total cost (1 person)	$102	$182	$39	$18
Carbon footprint	112 kg CO₂	46 kg CO₂	16 kg CO₂	16 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 Oct 17, 2026.

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