What Happens When I-70 Closes? A Former Trooper’s Guide
Read More
Timed for Your Flight Home
Summit Black Car is a luxury private chauffeur service based in Breckenridge, Colorado, and our Vail to Denver International Airport transfer covers about 120 miles and two summits above 10,000 feet between your lodging and the departures curb at Jeppesen Terminal. It is private and prearranged. Your chauffeur meets you at the hotel porte-cochere, the village loading zone or the driveway of your East Vail or West Vail home, loads the bags and the ski cases, and drives the eastbound road with a pickup time set by your flight and the day’s forecast rather than by a shuttle schedule.
Andrew Siegel, a former Colorado State Trooper and executive protection professional, founded the company, and our chauffeurs live in the mountain towns they drive, including the Vail Valley. We operate 24 hours a day, every day, so a pre-dawn pickup in Lionshead is routine. Get an Instant Quote at summitblackcar.com/book-now/ or call 970-485-3494.
At a Glance
Distance
About 120 miles from Vail Village to Jeppesen Terminal
Typical drive time
About 2 hours eastbound in clear conditions
Winter and holiday time
About 2 hours 30 minutes to 3 hours 30 minutes
Route
I-70 east over Vail Pass, past Copper Mountain and Frisco, through the Eisenhower Tunnel, down Floyd Hill and across Denver to DIA
Pickup
Hotel porte-cocheres and loading zones in Vail Village and Lionshead, plus East Vail, West Vail, Eagle-Vail, Avon and Edwards residences
Vehicles
Cadillac Escalade, Chevrolet Suburban, Mercedes-Benz Executive Sprinter, Ford Transit, Rolls-Royce Cullinan by request
-
Law Enforcement-Owned
Based in Breckenridge
Late-Model SUVs & Sprinters
Open 24/7
Our Vehicles
Late-model luxury SUVs for up to five passengers, the Executive Sprinter for thirteen, and an executive van for fourteen. The Rolls-Royce Cullinan is available by request.
LUXURY SUV
LUXURY SUV
LUXURY SUV
EXECUTIVE SPRINTER
EXECUTIVE VAN
Explore Our Cars
The Drive
From Vail Village or Lionshead your chauffeur joins I-70 at the main Vail interchange, exit 176; from an East Vail residence the on-ramp is exit 180, a few minutes closer to the pass. The climb begins almost immediately. Eastbound Vail Pass rises from the valley floor to 10,662 feet in a series of long grades, and in winter it is the section of this trip with the most weather. Snow that is falling lightly in the village is often falling hard at the summit, and the upper switchbacks are where trucks chain up and where the eastbound column slows first.
Over the summit the road descends to Copper Mountain at exit 195, then runs along the valley past Frisco at exit 203 and the Silverthorne/Dillon interchange at exit 205. This is where the Vail Valley’s departing traffic merges with everything leaving Breckenridge, Keystone and Copper, and on a Sunday afternoon the combined flow meets the climb to the Eisenhower-Johnson Memorial Tunnel all at once. CDOT meters vehicles at the west portal on the busiest days so the tunnel itself keeps moving, which is safer but adds waiting time before you ever reach the Continental Divide at 11,158 feet.
East of the tunnel the road drops steeply past Georgetown and Idaho Springs. Ice lingers in the shaded curves of the descent through the winter mornings. Floyd Hill is the last real grade, and it is the second place the eastbound backup tends to solidify after the tunnel. Below it the interstate flattens into the metro area, and the final stretch is the drive across Denver to the airport on the city’s northeast edge.
In clear conditions the whole trip takes about 2 hours. In winter and on holiday weekends plan on 2 hours 30 minutes to 3 hours 30 minutes. Because this route has two high crossings rather than one, the weather can be different at each, and your chauffeur checks both Vail Pass and the tunnel on CDOT cameras before leaving your door.
When the Road Closes
Two closures can affect a Vail departure, and they behave differently. Vail Pass closes several times each winter for storms and crashes, and there is no short alternate around it. When the pass closes we hold and time the reopening rather than attempt a detour of hundreds of miles. For a departure, that means two things. If the closure is announced before pickup, we call you and discuss leaving earlier once the pass reopens, and if the timing will not work for your flight, we talk through the realistic options with you before you leave the lodge.
If Vail Pass is open but the Eisenhower Tunnel has closed east of Silverthorne, there is a long alternate: Highway 9 south from Frisco through Breckenridge, over Hoosier Pass at 11,542 feet to Fairplay, and US-285 into Denver. It adds substantial time and is used when a closure is expected to last, not for a short hold. Your chauffeur makes that call with live CDOT information and tells you the plan.
The Colorado Traction Law applies on I-70 between Morrison and Dotsero from September 1 through May 31, requiring AWD or 4WD with at least 3/16-inch tread on winter, all-weather or M+S tires, or chains or an approved traction device. Our SUVs and Sprinters meet it every day of the season.
There is also a third option worth knowing about. When the eastbound forecast is bad, some guests choose to fly out of Eagle County Regional Airport instead. EGE is about 35 miles west of Vail, roughly 40 minutes on I-70 with no pass and no tunnel between you and the terminal. It has fewer flights and more weather sensitivity than DIA, but it removes Vail Pass and the Divide from the equation entirely. See our Vail to Eagle Airport (EGE) route page and the DIA vs EGE for Vail guide.
Where We Meet You
Vail Village and Lionshead are pedestrian villages, so vehicles use the loading zones and the hotel porte-cocheres rather than pulling up to every door. At the Four Seasons, the Sonnenalp, The Arrabelle, the Vail Marriott, Hotel Talisa, Grand Hyatt Vail and The Sebastian, the chauffeur pulls into the porte-cochere at the pickup time and the bell staff or the chauffeur brings your luggage from the lobby. Be downstairs a few minutes early; hotel drives get busy at checkout time, especially on Sunday mornings.
For condos and lodges inside the pedestrian core, the chauffeur stops at the nearest loading zone, texts you, and walks in to help with the bags. Village loading zones are shared with delivery vehicles and other guests, so knowing the name of your building and the closest vehicle access point helps. Tell us at booking and we will confirm where the vehicle will be.
East Vail, West Vail, Eagle-Vail, Avon and Edwards residences are served door to door. Give us the full address, any gate code, and a note about the driveway if it is steep, long or unplowed. A Sprinter needs more room to turn than an SUV, and the chauffeur will stage at the street when the driveway does not allow a safe approach. Ski-in/ski-out homes are collected at the driveway, and skis that came off the hill go straight onto the rooftop carrier or into the van.
If your group is split between Vail and Beaver Creek, about 15 minutes apart, we can combine the pickups. Beaver Creek is a gated village, so tell us the lodge name for the gate.
Where We Drop Off
At Denver International Airport the drop is the departures curb at Jeppesen Terminal. Airlines are divided between the east and west sides of the terminal, so we ask for your airline when you book and the chauffeur approaches the correct side. The vehicle stops at the curb, the chauffeur unloads luggage and ski cases, and you walk straight to the ticket counters and security. There is no rental car return, no shuttle and no garage in between.
For private flights, the drop is the FBO. At DIA that is Signature. Centennial Airport (APA) is on the south side of the metro area and Rocky Mountain Metropolitan (BJC) on the northwest side, and both change the route once you are down Floyd Hill, so tell us the airport and the FBO at booking. The chauffeur drives to the FBO door and hands your bags to the line crew or loads directly to the aircraft where the FBO allows it. If you are departing privately from EGE instead, the drop is the Vail Valley Jet Center, where Signature Aviation and NetJets operate. Details on our Private Jet and FBO Transfers page.
Vehicles for This Route
For up to five passengers the 2025 Cadillac Escalade is the standard vehicle on the Vail to DIA transfer. It has AWD, winter tires and a rooftop ski carrier. The 2026 Chevrolet Suburban carries the same five with more space for luggage, which is often the better fit on the way home, when boot bags, shopping and a week of layers have expanded what needs to come along.
Six or more passengers ride in the 2025 Mercedes-Benz Executive Sprinter, which seats up to 13, or the 2025 Ford Transit, which seats up to 14, with skis and boards inside. The Rolls-Royce Cullinan is available by request for guests who want it.
Wi-Fi and bottled water are in every vehicle, and the chauffeur handles the loading at your door and the unloading at the curb. Child seats are available on request; give us the ages when you book. Even if we brought you up from DIA, tell us the passenger count, bag count, ski and board count and any child seats for the return, because the party leaving Vail is not always the party that arrived.
Your Return Trip to the Airport
We build the pickup time from your departure time backward: drive time, plus a weather margin, plus your airline’s check-in window.
The drive from Vail to Jeppesen Terminal is about 2 hours on a clear day and 2 hours 30 minutes to 3 hours 30 minutes in winter or on a holiday weekend. From September through May add 30 to 45 minutes of weather margin for Vail Pass and the tunnel. Then add the check-in time your airline recommends, which is longer for international flights than domestic ones and longer when you are checking bags than when you are carrying on. Skis and snowboards are checked bags, so almost every ski trip takes the longer window.
As a guide: a domestic flight with carry-on bags on a clear weekday means a Vail pickup about four hours before departure. A domestic flight with checked skis on a winter Sunday means five to five and a half hours. An international departure on a holiday Monday in snow is closer to six and a half, and at that point some guests choose an afternoon flight, an overnight in Denver the night before, or a departure from EGE instead.
We propose a pickup time when you book, using your flight, the day of the week and the forecast, and we track your departure so that a delay before pickup moves the pickup rather than leaving you at the airport early.
Private Car vs Shared Shuttle vs Rideshare vs Rental
Getting from Vail to a departure at DIA can be done four ways, and the return direction makes the differences sharper than the arrival did.
A shared shuttle runs to a timetable that has nothing to do with your flight, and from Vail it typically collects riders in the village, in Lionshead and sometimes down valley before it climbs Vail Pass. On a good day it works. On a Sunday it means an early departure and a slow, crowded ride with stops.
Rideshare in Vail is thin at the hours airport trips happen. A 120-mile fare over two passes may sit unaccepted, and once accepted it can be cancelled when the driver sees the forecast. You also do not know until the vehicle arrives whether it meets the traction law that applies to every mile of this route from September through May.
A rental car means driving Vail Pass and the tunnel yourself in the eastbound Sunday column, then finding the rental return at DIA and riding the shuttle to the terminal, all with your check-in clock running. On a clear midweek day it is fine. On the days that matter it is a lot to take on.
Ride in Style
Ready to get on the road in one of our luxury black cars? Reserve your ride today!
What to Expect
1
Book Our Service
Request an instant quote on the Book Now page with your dates, passenger count, bags and any child seats, then reserve once it is confirmed.
2
Meet Your Driver
We confirm the pickup time and location as your date approaches and track your flight on the day. If plans change, call or text us and we adjust.
3
Enjoy the Ride
Your chauffeur loads the luggage and gear and drives you to the door. Enjoy the Wi-Fi, the water and the view while we handle the road.
About Summit Black Car
Our founders are former law enforcement officers who bring their specialized training and years of experience to Summit Black Car.
We’re focused on safe and discreet premium car services for anyone looking for a reliable transportation partner.
Frequently Asked Questions
About 2 hours in clear conditions and 2 hours 30 minutes to 3 hours 30 minutes in winter or on a holiday weekend. Vail Pass and the Eisenhower Tunnel are the two variables, and Sunday afternoon traffic merging at Frisco and Silverthorne is the third. We quote a realistic window for your date rather than the clear-day number.
Take the drive time, add 30 to 45 minutes of winter margin and your airline’s check-in window. On a clear weekday with carry-on that is about four hours before a domestic departure. With checked skis on a winter Sunday, plan five to five and a half hours. We recommend a pickup time when you book, based on the forecast.
It depends on your airline and schedule. EGE is about 35 miles from Vail with no pass to cross, so the drive is about 40 minutes. It offers fewer flights, mostly nonstop winter service from major hubs, and it is more weather-sensitive than DIA. If your flight exists at EGE, it removes Vail Pass and the tunnel from your departure day.
There is no short detour around Vail Pass, so we hold and time the reopening. If the closure is announced before pickup, we call you and work out whether an earlier departure after reopening will make your flight, or whether a later flight or an EGE departure is the better plan. We talk it through before you leave the lodge.
At your hotel’s porte-cochere for the Four Seasons, Sonnenalp, Arrabelle, Vail Marriott, Hotel Talisa, Grand Hyatt Vail and The Sebastian. For condos inside the pedestrian core, at the nearest loading zone, with a text on arrival and help carrying bags. Tell us the building name when you book and we will confirm the exact spot.
Yes. Multi-stop pickups are common at the end of a group trip. Give us each address at booking so we build the extra minutes into the pickup time and assign a vehicle with room for everyone’s luggage and skis. Beaver Creek and Avon pickups can be combined on the same trip as well.
Yes. We drop at Signature at DIA, at Centennial Airport (APA) south of Denver and at Rocky Mountain Metropolitan (BJC) to the northwest. Each has a different final approach and drive time from Vail. Tell us the airport and the FBO at booking and the chauffeur will drive to the FBO entrance.
We track departures. If the delay is posted before pickup, we move the pickup later so you are not waiting at DIA. If your flight is cancelled and rebooked, call us with the new details and we adjust the time or, if the rebooking is out of EGE, switch the transfer to the airport you need.
