Drive or Fly: Blue Springs, MO to Dardenne Prairie, MO?

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–STL. At 199 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 48m

Distance

199 mi

Total Cost

$79

CO2

80 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$44

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 38m

23m in the air

Air Distance

192 mi

Total Cost

$128

CO2

49 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Blue Springs, MO → MCI 46m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 23m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

STL → Dardenne Prairie, MO 29m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $128) $128

Airports

Blue Springs, MO MCI — Kansas City International Airport 30 mi, ~46m drive

Dardenne Prairie, MO STL — St. Louis Lambert International Airport 19 mi, ~29m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MCI and STL. 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

5h 7m

3h 43m on rail

Total Cost

$37

CO2

11 kg

Route

Missouri River Runner

Door-to-Door Timeline

Blue Springs, MO → Lee'S Summit Amtrak 13m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 223m

Arrival 10m

Washington Amtrak Station → Dardenne Prairie, MO 31m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $37) $37

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

Stations

From Lee'S Summit Amtrak 9 mi, ~13m drive

To Washington Amtrak Station 21 mi, ~31m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~1/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 1 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	3h 48m	3h 38m	5h 7m
Total cost (1 person)	$79	$128	$37
Carbon footprint	80 kg CO₂	49 kg CO₂	11 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 — 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 Blue Springs, MO to Dardenne Prairie, MO with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.