Drive or Fly: Leawood, KS to Colby, KS?

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–MCK. At 377 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

6h 32m

Distance

377.7 mi

Total Cost

$119

CO2

153 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$84
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 50m

42m in the air

Air Distance

346 mi

Total Cost

$189

CO2

88 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Leawood, KS → MCI 36m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 42m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
MCK → Colby, KS 92m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $134) $134
Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Leawood, KS MCI — Kansas City International Airport 24 mi, ~36m drive
Colby, KS MCK — McCook Ben Nelson Regional Airport 61 mi, ~92m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MCI and MCK. 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

9h 18m

7h 45m on road

Total Cost

$42

CO2

22 kg

Route

Greyhound US1200

Door-to-Door Timeline

Leawood, KS → Kansas City Bus Station (KCD6) 14m
Boarding 15m
Bus ride 465m
Arrival 10m
Goodland (Mcdonald's) (GDN6) → Colby, KS 54m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $42) $42

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

Stations

From KCD6 — Kansas City Bus Station 10 mi, ~14m drive
To GDN6 — Goodland (Mcdonald's) 36 mi, ~54m 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 6h 32m 4h 50m 9h 18m
Total cost (1 person) $119 $189 $42
Carbon footprint 153 kg CO2 88 kg CO2 22 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 13, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Leawood, KS to Colby, KS with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.