Drive or Fly: Lee's Summit, MO to Bethany, 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–CGI. At 368 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

7h 36m

Distance

368.5 mi

Total Cost

$116

CO2

149 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$81

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 38m

34m in the air

Air Distance

284 mi

Total Cost

$186

CO2

72 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lee's Summit, MO → MCI 48m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 34m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

CGI → Bethany, MO 76m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $131) $131

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Lee's Summit, MO MCI — Kansas City International Airport 32 mi, ~48m drive

Bethany, MO CGI — Cape Girardeau Regional Airport 51 mi, ~76m drive

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 2h 58m 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	7h 36m	4h 38m
Total cost (1 person)	$116	$186
Carbon footprint	149 kg CO₂	72 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

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 16, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

368.5 mi 7h 36m

via US 60, MO 13, MO 7

Shortest (+24 min)

364.3 mi 8h 1m

via US 50, US 60, MO 19

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Lee's Summit, MO to Bethany, MO with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.