Drive or Fly: Lake Lotawana, MO to Saint Joseph, 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–MCI. At 85 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 32m

Distance

85.8 mi

Total Cost

$54

CO2

35 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$19

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 52m

8m in the air

Air Distance

67 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

17 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lake Lotawana, MO → MCI 54m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 8m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MCI → Saint Joseph, MO 50m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Lake Lotawana, MO MCI — Kansas City International Airport 36 mi, ~54m drive

Saint Joseph, MO MCI — Kansas City International Airport 33 mi, ~50m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MCI and MCI. 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

2h 52m

47m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Missouri River Runner

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lake Lotawana, MO → Lee'S Summit Amtrak 11m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 47m

Arrival 10m

Kansas City → Saint Joseph, MO 74m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $3) $3

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

Stations

From Lee'S Summit Amtrak 7 mi, ~11m drive

To Kansas City 49 mi, ~74m 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

2h 21m

15m on road

Total Cost

CO2

0 kg

Route

Greyhound US0180s

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lake Lotawana, MO → Kansas City Bus Station (KCD6) 32m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 15m

Arrival 10m

Kansas City 47Th St Transit Center (KSC6) → Saint Joseph, MO 69m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $1) $1

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

Stations

From KCD6 — Kansas City Bus Station 21 mi, ~32m drive

To KSC6 — Kansas City 47Th St Transit Center 46 mi, ~69m 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	1h 32m	3h 52m	2h 52m	2h 21m
Total cost (1 person)	$54	$123	$3	$1
Carbon footprint	35 kg CO₂	17 kg CO₂	1 kg CO₂	0 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 Lake Lotawana, MO to Saint Joseph, MO with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.