Drive or Fly: Lee's Summit, MO to Esther, 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–BLV. At 294 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

5h 41m

Distance

294.3 mi

Total Cost

$100

CO2

119 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$65

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 45m

27m in the air

Air Distance

223 mi

Total Cost

$184

CO2

57 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lee's Summit, MO → MCI 48m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 27m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BLV → Esther, MO 90m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $129) $129

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Esther, MO BLV — Scott AFB/Midamerica Airport 60 mi, ~90m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MCI and BLV. 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

7h 3m

4h 50m on road

Total Cost

$21

CO2

11 kg

Route

Greyhound US0175s

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lee's Summit, MO → Kansas City Bus Station (KCD6) 25m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 290m

Arrival 10m

Washington (WAS6) → Esther, MO 83m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $21) $21

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

Stations

From KCD6 — Kansas City Bus Station 16 mi, ~25m drive

To WAS6 — Washington 56 mi, ~83m 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	5h 41m	4h 45m	7h 3m
Total cost (1 person)	$100	$184	$21
Carbon footprint	119 kg CO₂	57 kg CO₂	11 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 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

294.3 mi 5h 40m

via I 70; US 40, I 70, US 67

Shortest (+9 min)

261.7 mi 5h 49m

via US 50, MO 8; MO 19, US 63

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