Drive or Fly: Kansas City, MO to Shelbina, 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–IRK. At 170 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 18m

Distance

170.7 mi

Total Cost

$73

CO2

69 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$38

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

17m in the air

Air Distance

141 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

36 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Kansas City, MO → MCI 24m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 17m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

IRK → Shelbina, MO 57m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

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

Shelbina, MO IRK — Kirksville Regional Airport 38 mi, ~57m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MCI and IRK. 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

3h 45m

2h 5m on rail

Total Cost

$26

CO2

7 kg

Route

Southwest Chief

Door-to-Door Timeline

Kansas City, MO → Kansas City 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 125m

Arrival 10m

La Plata Amtrak Station → Shelbina, MO 50m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $26) $26

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

Stations

From Kansas City 1 mi, ~10m drive

To La Plata Amtrak Station 33 mi, ~50m 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 8m

3h 13m on road

Total Cost

$13

CO2

7 kg

Route

Greyhound US0175s

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 193m

Arrival 10m

Columbia (Wabash Station) (CUC6) → Shelbina, MO 80m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $13) $13

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

Stations

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

To CUC6 — Columbia (Wabash Station) 53 mi, ~80m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~14/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

− 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 18m	3h 38m	3h 45m	5h 8m
Total cost (1 person)	$73	$126	$26	$13
Carbon footprint	69 kg CO₂	36 kg CO₂	7 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, 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 18, 2026.

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