Drive or Fly: Leawood, KS to Newton, 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–ICT. At 176 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

2h 48m

Distance

176.9 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

3h 37m

19m in the air

Air Distance

161 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

41 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Leawood, KS → MCI 36m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 19m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

ICT → Newton, KS 42m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

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

Newton, KS ICT — Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport 28 mi, ~42m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MCI and ICT. 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

5h 1m

3h 59m on rail

Total Cost

$33

CO2

10 kg

Route

Southwest Chief

Door-to-Door Timeline

Leawood, KS → Kansas City 12m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 239m

Arrival 10m

Newton → Newton, KS 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $33) $33

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

Stations

From Kansas City 8 mi, ~12m drive

To Newton 0 mi, ~10m 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

5h 17m

4h on road

Total Cost

$20

CO2

10 kg

Route

Greyhound US0136

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 240m

Arrival 10m

Wichita Bus Stop (WTA6) → Newton, KS 38m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $20) $20

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

Stations

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

To WTA6 — Wichita Bus Stop 25 mi, ~38m 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	2h 48m	3h 37m	5h 1m	5h 17m
Total cost (1 person)	$74	$126	$33	$20
Carbon footprint	71 kg CO₂	41 kg CO₂	10 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 13, 2026.

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