Drive or Fly: Kearney, NE to Norfolk, NE?

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 EAR–SUX. At 158 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 4m

Distance

158.1 mi

Total Cost

$70

CO2

64 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$35

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 53m

15m in the air

Air Distance

126 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

32 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Kearney, NE → EAR 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 15m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SUX → Norfolk, NE 88m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Kearney, NE EAR — Kearney Regional Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

Norfolk, NE SUX — Sioux Gateway Airport / Brigadier General Bud Day Field 59 mi, ~88m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between EAR and SUX. 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	3h 4m	3h 53m
Total cost (1 person)	$70	$125
Carbon footprint	64 kg CO₂	32 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

158.1 mi 3h 4m

via US 30, I 80, US 81

Alternative (+17 min)

168.7 mi 3h 22m

via US 81, N-92, US 30; I 80 Alt

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Kearney, NE to Norfolk, NE with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.