Drive or Fly: Dardenne Prairie, MO to Lee's Summit, 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 STL–MCI. At 214 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 13m

Distance

214.2 mi

Total Cost

$82

CO2

87 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$47

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 41m

24m in the air

Air Distance

197 mi

Total Cost

$183

CO2

50 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Dardenne Prairie, MO → STL 29m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 24m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MCI → Lee's Summit, MO 48m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $128) $128

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Lee's Summit, MO MCI — Kansas City International Airport 32 mi, ~48m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between STL 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

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

4h 59m

3h 38m on rail

Total Cost

$37

CO2

11 kg

Route

Lincoln Service Missouri River Runner

Door-to-Door Timeline

Dardenne Prairie, MO → Washington Amtrak Station 31m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 218m

Arrival 10m

Lee'S Summit Amtrak → Lee's Summit, MO 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $37) $37

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

Stations

From Washington Amtrak Station 21 mi, ~31m drive

To Lee'S Summit Amtrak 0 mi, ~10m 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 13m	3h 41m	4h 59m
Total cost (1 person)	$82	$183	$37
Carbon footprint	87 kg CO₂	50 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 Dardenne Prairie, MO to Lee's Summit, MO with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.