Drive or Fly: Carbondale, 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 MHK–MCI. At 74 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 32m

Distance

74.5 mi

Total Cost

$51

CO2

30 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

4h 9m

7m in the air

Air Distance

59 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

15 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Carbondale, KS → MHK 86m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 7m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MCI → Leawood, KS 36m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Carbondale, KS MHK — Manhattan Regional Airport 57 mi, ~86m drive

Leawood, 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 20m

2h 4m on rail

Total Cost

$12

CO2

3 kg

Route

Southwest Chief

Door-to-Door Timeline

Carbondale, KS → Topeka Amtrak Station 24m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 124m

Arrival 10m

Kansas City → Leawood, KS 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $12) $12

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

Stations

From Topeka Amtrak Station 16 mi, ~24m drive

To Kansas City 8 mi, ~12m 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

2h 3m

1h on road

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

Greyhound US0136

Door-to-Door Timeline

Carbondale, KS → Topeka (BP To Go) (TKA6) 24m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 60m

Arrival 10m

Kansas City Bus Station (KCD6) → Leawood, KS 14m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $7) $7

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

Stations

From TKA6 — Topeka (BP To Go) 16 mi, ~24m drive

To KCD6 — Kansas City Bus Station 10 mi, ~14m 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	4h 9m	3h 20m	2h 3m
Total cost (1 person)	$51	$122	$12	$7
Carbon footprint	30 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 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

74.5 mi 1h 32m

via KS 10, US 56, US 59

Shortest (+0 min)

70.4 mi 1h 33m

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

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