Drive or Fly: Leawood, KS to Scott City, 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–GCK. At 400 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

Distance

400.5 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

162 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$88

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

− Driver fatigue on longer stretches

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

4h 16m

41m in the air

Air Distance

341 mi

Total Cost

$189

CO2

87 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Leawood, KS → MCI 36m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 41m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

GCK → Scott City, KS 59m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $134) $134

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Scott City, KS GCK — Garden City Regional Airport 40 mi, ~59m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MCI and GCK. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 2h 44m compared to driving

+ 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

9h 12m

7h 26m on rail

Total Cost

$70

CO2

20 kg

Route

Southwest Chief

Door-to-Door Timeline

Leawood, KS → Kansas City 12m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 446m

Arrival 10m

Garden City Amtrak Station → Scott City, KS 54m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $70) $70

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

Stations

From Kansas City 8 mi, ~12m drive

To Garden City Amtrak Station 36 mi, ~54m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~4/week

+ Spacious seating with legroom and power outlets

+ Walk around freely during the trip

+ Scenic views along the route

+ 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

10h 14m

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) → Scott City, KS 110m

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) 73 mi, ~110m 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	7h	4h 16m	9h 12m	10h 14m
Total cost (1 person)	$123	$189	$70	$42
Carbon footprint	162 kg CO₂	87 kg CO₂	20 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: 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.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

400.5 mi 7h 0m

via I 70; US 40, I 70, US 83

Shortest (+4 min)

365.6 mi 7h 4m

via US 50, KS 96, US 56

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