Drive or Fly: Baldwin City, KS to Leawood, 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 MCI–MCI. At 40 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

55m

Distance

40.6 mi

Total Cost

$44

CO2

16 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$9

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 47m

4m in the air

Air Distance

33 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

9 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Baldwin City, KS → MCI 67m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 4m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MCI → Leawood, KS 36m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Baldwin City, KS MCI — Kansas City International Airport 44 mi, ~67m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MCI 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 15m

1h 35m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Southwest Chief

Door-to-Door Timeline

Baldwin City, KS → Lawrence Amtrak Station 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 95m

Arrival 10m

Kansas City → Leawood, KS 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $7) $7

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

Stations

From Lawrence Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~30m drive

To Kansas City 0 mi, ~30m 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

35m on road

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Baldwin City, KS → Lawrence Bus Stop (LWR6) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 35m

Arrival 10m

Kansas City Bus Station (KCD6) → Leawood, KS 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $4) $4

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

Stations

From LWR6 — Lawrence Bus Stop 0 mi, ~30m drive

To KCD6 — Kansas City Bus Station 0 mi, ~30m 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	55m	3h 47m	3h 15m	2h
Total cost (1 person)	$44	$121	$7	$4
Carbon footprint	16 kg CO₂	9 kg CO₂	2 kg CO₂	2 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 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

40.6 mi 55m

via I 35; US 50, US 50, US 56

Shortest (+2 min)

38.8 mi 57m

via I 35; US 50, West 95th Street, US 56

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