Drive or Fly: Kansas City, MO to Dixon, 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–TBN. At 213 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

4h 11m

Distance

213.5 mi

Total Cost

$82

CO2

86 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 9m

19m in the air

Air Distance

155 mi

Total Cost

$181

CO2

39 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Kansas City, MO → MCI 24m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 19m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

TBN → Dixon, MO 26m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Dixon, MO TBN — Waynesville-St. Robert Regional Airport-Forney Field 18 mi, ~26m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MCI and TBN. 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 58m

3h 7m on rail

Total Cost

$27

CO2

8 kg

Route

Missouri River Runner

Door-to-Door Timeline

Kansas City, MO → Kansas City 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 187m

Arrival 10m

Jefferson City Amtrak Station → Dixon, MO 61m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $27) $27

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

Stations

From Kansas City 1 mi, ~10m drive

To Jefferson City Amtrak Station 41 mi, ~61m 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

4h 48m

3h 15m on road

Total Cost

$15

CO2

8 kg

Route

Greyhound US0175s

Door-to-Door Timeline

Kansas City, MO → Kansas City Bus Station (KCD6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 195m

Arrival 10m

Jefferson City (Conoco) (JFJ6) → Dixon, MO 58m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $15) $15

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

Stations

From KCD6 — Kansas City Bus Station 1 mi, ~10m drive

To JFJ6 — Jefferson City (Conoco) 39 mi, ~58m 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	4h 11m	3h 9m	4h 58m	4h 48m
Total cost (1 person)	$82	$181	$27	$15
Carbon footprint	86 kg CO₂	39 kg CO₂	8 kg CO₂	8 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 12, 2026.

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