Drive or Fly: Leawood, KS to Minneapolis, 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–SLN. At 198 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 33m

Distance

198.3 mi

Total Cost

$79

CO2

80 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$44

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 31m

20m in the air

Air Distance

166 mi

Total Cost

$127

CO2

42 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Leawood, KS → MCI 36m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 20m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SLN → Minneapolis, KS 35m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Airports

Leawood, KS MCI — Kansas City International Airport 24 mi, ~36m drive

Minneapolis, KS SLN — Salina Municipal Airport 23 mi, ~35m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MCI and SLN. 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

7h 20m

4h 36m on rail

Total Cost

$39

CO2

11 kg

Route

Southwest Chief

Door-to-Door Timeline

Leawood, KS → Kansas City 12m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 276m

Arrival 10m

Hutchinson Amtrak Station → Minneapolis, KS 112m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $39) $39

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

Stations

From Kansas City 8 mi, ~12m drive

To Hutchinson Amtrak Station 75 mi, ~112m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~4/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 4 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

4h 40m

3h 25m on road

Total Cost

$18

CO2

10 kg

Route

Greyhound US1200

Door-to-Door Timeline

Leawood, KS → Kansas City Bus Station (KCD6) 14m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 205m

Arrival 10m

Salina (Super 8) (SKS6) → Minneapolis, KS 36m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $18) $18

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

Stations

From KCD6 — Kansas City Bus Station 10 mi, ~14m drive

To SKS6 — Salina (Super 8) 24 mi, ~36m 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	3h 33m	3h 31m	7h 20m	4h 40m
Total cost (1 person)	$79	$127	$39	$18
Carbon footprint	80 kg CO₂	42 kg CO₂	11 kg CO₂	10 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 17, 2026.

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