Drive or Fly: Lee's Summit, MO to Terre du Lac, 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–STL. At 270 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

5h 47m

Distance

270.7 mi

Total Cost

$95

CO2

109 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$60

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 43m

26m in the air

Air Distance

215 mi

Total Cost

$184

CO2

55 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lee's Summit, MO → MCI 48m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 26m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

STL → Terre du Lac, MO 89m

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

Terre du Lac, MO STL — St. Louis Lambert International Airport 60 mi, ~89m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MCI and STL. 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

6h 53m

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) → Terre du Lac, MO 73m

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 49 mi, ~73m 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 47m	4h 43m	6h 53m
Total cost (1 person)	$95	$184	$21
Carbon footprint	109 kg CO₂	55 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

270.7 mi 5h 46m

via I 70; US 40, I 70, MO 47

Shortest (+0 min)

256.6 mi 5h 47m

via US 50, MO 47, MO 291

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