Drive or Fly: Gypsum, KS to Leavenworth, 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 SLN–MCI. At 179 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 22m

Distance

179.1 mi

Total Cost

$75

CO2

72 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$40

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

2h 54m

17m in the air

Air Distance

141 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

36 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Gypsum, KS → SLN 20m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 17m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MCI → Leavenworth, KS 17m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

Gypsum, KS SLN — Salina Municipal Airport 13 mi, ~20m drive

Leavenworth, KS MCI — Kansas City International Airport 11 mi, ~17m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SLN 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

6h 55m

4h 30m on rail

Total Cost

$33

CO2

10 kg

Route

Southwest Chief

Door-to-Door Timeline

Gypsum, KS → Newton 69m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 270m

Arrival 10m

Kansas City → Leavenworth, KS 36m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $33) $33

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

Stations

From Newton 46 mi, ~69m drive

To Kansas City 24 mi, ~36m 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

5h 55m

4h 45m on road

Total Cost

$18

CO2

9 kg

Route

Greyhound US0180s

Door-to-Door Timeline

Gypsum, KS → Salina (Super 8) (SKS6) 17m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 285m

Arrival 10m

Kansas City 47Th St Transit Center (KSC6) → Leavenworth, KS 28m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $18) $18

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

Stations

From SKS6 — Salina (Super 8) 12 mi, ~17m drive

To KSC6 — Kansas City 47Th St Transit Center 19 mi, ~28m 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	3h 22m	2h 54m	6h 55m	5h 55m
Total cost (1 person)	$75	$126	$33	$18
Carbon footprint	72 kg CO₂	36 kg CO₂	10 kg CO₂	9 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 14, 2026.

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