Drive or Fly: Kansas City, MO to Washington County, 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–STL. At 270 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

5h 42m

Distance

270.9 mi

Total Cost

$95

CO2

109 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$60

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

4h 21m

26m in the air

Air Distance

215 mi

Total Cost

$184

CO2

55 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Kansas City, MO → MCI 24m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 26m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

STL → Washington County, MO 91m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $129) $129

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Washington County, MO STL — St. Louis Lambert International Airport 61 mi, ~91m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MCI and STL. 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

6h 27m

4h 50m on road

Total Cost

$21

CO2

11 kg

Route

Greyhound US0175s

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 290m

Arrival 10m

Washington (WAS6) → Washington County, MO 62m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $21) $21

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

Stations

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

To WAS6 — Washington 41 mi, ~62m 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	Bus
Door-to-door time	5h 42m	4h 21m	6h 27m
Total cost (1 person)	$95	$184	$21
Carbon footprint	109 kg CO₂	55 kg CO₂	11 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: 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

270.9 mi 5h 42m

via US 63, I 70, I 70; US 40

Shortest (+11 min)

260.8 mi 5h 54m

via US 50, US 63, MO 8; MO 19

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