Drive or Fly: Fort Dodge, KS to Leoti, 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 DDC–GCK. At 118 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 28m

Distance

118 mi

Total Cost

$61

CO2

48 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$26

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

11m in the air

Air Distance

93 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

24 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fort Dodge, KS → DDC 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 11m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

GCK → Leoti, KS 77m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Fort Dodge, KS DDC — Dodge City Regional Airport 3 mi, ~10m drive

Leoti, KS GCK — Garden City Regional Airport 51 mi, ~77m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DDC and GCK. 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

2h 29m

49m on rail

Total Cost

$10

CO2

7 kg

Route

Southwest Chief

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fort Dodge, KS → Dodge City Amtrak Station 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 49m

Arrival 10m

Garden City Amtrak Station → Leoti, KS 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $10) $10

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

Stations

From Dodge City Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~30m drive

To Garden City Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~4/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 4 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	2h 28m	3h 38m	2h 29m
Total cost (1 person)	$61	$124	$10
Carbon footprint	48 kg CO₂	24 kg CO₂	7 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

118 mi 2h 27m

via US 50, US 83, KS 96

Alternative (+25 min)

132.3 mi 2h 53m

via KS 96, US 283, 117 Road

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