Drive or Fly: Festus, MO to Independence, 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 261 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

5h 3m

Distance

261.5 mi

Total Cost

$93

CO2

106 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$58

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 54m

27m in the air

Air Distance

225 mi

Total Cost

$184

CO2

57 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Festus, MO → STL 55m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 27m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MCI → Independence, MO 32m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $129) $129

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Festus, MO STL — St. Louis Lambert International Airport 37 mi, ~55m drive

Independence, MO MCI — Kansas City International Airport 22 mi, ~32m 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

5h 58m

4h 31m on rail

Total Cost

$44

CO2

13 kg

Route

Lincoln Service Missouri River Runner

Door-to-Door Timeline

Festus, MO → Kirkwood Amtrak Station 37m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 271m

Arrival 10m

Independence Amtrak Station → Independence, MO 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $44) $44

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

Stations

From Kirkwood Amtrak Station 25 mi, ~37m drive

To Independence Amtrak Station 1 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

5h 52m

4h 30m on road

Total Cost

$26

CO2

14 kg

Route

Greyhound US1200

Door-to-Door Timeline

Festus, MO → St Louis Bus Station (SLD6) 45m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 270m

Arrival 10m

Kansas City Bus Station (KCD6) → Independence, MO 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $26) $26

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

Stations

From SLD6 — St Louis Bus Station 30 mi, ~45m drive

To KCD6 — Kansas City Bus Station 8 mi, ~12m 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	5h 3m	3h 54m	5h 58m	5h 52m
Total cost (1 person)	$93	$184	$44	$26
Carbon footprint	106 kg CO₂	57 kg CO₂	13 kg CO₂	14 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

261.5 mi 5h 3m

via I 70; US 40, I 64; US 40; US 61, I 55

Alternative (+47 min)

277.9 mi 5h 50m

via US 50, I 70; US 40, I 44; US 50

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Festus, MO to Independence, MO with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.