Drive or Fly: Monte Vista, CO to Thornton, 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 ALS–BJC. At 223 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

5h 2m

Distance

223.9 mi

Total Cost

$77

CO2

90 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$42

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

20m in the air

Air Distance

170 mi

Total Cost

$182

CO2

43 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Monte Vista, CO → ALS 28m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 20m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BJC → Thornton, CO 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Monte Vista, CO ALS — San Luis Valley Regional Airport/Bergman Field 18 mi, ~28m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 2h 2m 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

4h 30m

3h 5m on road

Total Cost

$16

CO2

13 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Monte Vista, CO → Walsenburg (Paperback Trading Post) (WSG6) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 185m

Arrival 10m

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

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $16) $16

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

Stations

From WSG6 — Walsenburg (Paperback Trading Post) 0 mi, ~30m drive

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

Service

Direct

Frequency

~8/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 8 trips per week

− Travel time longer than driving

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Bus
Door-to-door time	5h 2m	3h	4h 30m
Total cost (1 person)	$77	$182	$16
Carbon footprint	90 kg CO₂	43 kg CO₂	13 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: 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 Jul 20, 2026.

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