Drive or Fly: Kearney, NE to Plainview, 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 175 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 27m

Distance

175.9 mi

Total Cost

$74

CO2

71 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$39

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 14m

16m in the air

Air Distance

132 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

34 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Kearney, NE → EAR 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 16m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SUX → Plainview, NE 108m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

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

Plainview, NE SUX — Sioux Gateway Airport / Brigadier General Bud Day Field 72 mi, ~108m 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 27m	4h 14m
Total cost (1 person)	$74	$125
Carbon footprint	71 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

175.9 mi 3h 26m

via N-14, I 80, US 30

Alternative (+3 min)

176.6 mi 3h 30m

via N-70, N-10, N-14

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