Drive or Fly: Auburn, KS to Lenexa, KS?

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 MHK–MCI. At 72 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 32m

Distance

72.8 mi

Total Cost

$51

CO2

29 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$16

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 56m

7m in the air

Air Distance

58 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

15 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Auburn, KS → MHK 73m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 7m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MCI → Lenexa, KS 36m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Auburn, KS MHK — Manhattan Regional Airport 49 mi, ~73m drive

Lenexa, KS MCI — Kansas City International Airport 24 mi, ~36m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MHK and MCI. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Less physical fatigue

+ Predictable arrival time

− Airport security and check-in overhead

− No scheduled commercial flights found for this route

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

3h 21m

2h 4m on rail

Total Cost

$12

CO2

3 kg

Route

Southwest Chief

Door-to-Door Timeline

Auburn, KS → Topeka Amtrak Station 19m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 124m

Arrival 10m

Kansas City → Lenexa, KS 18m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $12) $12

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

Stations

From Topeka Amtrak Station 13 mi, ~19m drive

To Kansas City 12 mi, ~18m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~3/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 3 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

3h 6m

2h 5m on road

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

Greyhound US0180s

Door-to-Door Timeline

Auburn, KS → Topeka (BP To Go) (TKA6) 19m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 125m

Arrival 10m

Kansas City 47Th St Transit Center (KSC6) → Lenexa, KS 17m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $6) $6

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

Stations

From TKA6 — Topeka (BP To Go) 13 mi, ~19m drive

To KSC6 — Kansas City 47Th St Transit Center 11 mi, ~17m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~7/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 7 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	1h 32m	3h 56m	3h 21m	3h 6m
Total cost (1 person)	$51	$122	$12	$6
Carbon footprint	29 kg CO₂	15 kg CO₂	3 kg CO₂	3 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 Apr 15, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Auburn, KS to Lenexa, KS with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.