Drive or Fly: Kansas City, MO to Carterville, 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 MCI–JLN. At 148 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 46m

Distance

148.8 mi

Total Cost

$68

CO2

60 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$33

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 50m

16m in the air

Air Distance

135 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

34 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Kansas City, MO → MCI 24m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 16m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

JLN → Carterville, MO 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Kansas City, MO MCI — Kansas City International Airport 16 mi, ~24m drive

Carterville, MO JLN — Joplin Regional Airport 3 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MCI and JLN. 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	2h 46m	2h 50m
Total cost (1 person)	$68	$125
Carbon footprint	60 kg CO₂	34 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

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

148.8 mi 2h 46m

via US 71, I 49; US 71, I 49 Business; MO 96; MO 171

Alternative (+11 min)

150.7 mi 2h 57m

via I 49; US 71, MO 291, MO 350

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