Drive or Fly: Lee's Summit, MO to Warrenton, 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 188 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

3h 32m

Distance

188.6 mi

Total Cost

$77

CO2

76 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$42

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 12m

21m in the air

Air Distance

174 mi

Total Cost

$127

CO2

44 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lee's Summit, MO → MCI 48m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 21m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

STL → Warrenton, MO 63m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Airports

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

Warrenton, MO STL — St. Louis Lambert International Airport 42 mi, ~63m 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

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

4h 32m

3h 16m on rail

Total Cost

$32

CO2

9 kg

Route

Missouri River Runner

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lee's Summit, MO → Lee'S Summit Amtrak 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 196m

Arrival 10m

Hermann → Warrenton, MO 26m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $32) $32

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

Stations

From Lee'S Summit Amtrak 0 mi, ~10m drive

To Hermann 17 mi, ~26m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~1/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 1 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

5h 15m

4h 15m on road

Total Cost

$20

CO2

11 kg

Route

Greyhound US0175s

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 255m

Arrival 10m

Warrenton (Phillips 66) (WRT6) → Warrenton, MO 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $20) $20

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

Stations

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

To WRT6 — Warrenton (Phillips 66) 1 mi, ~10m 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	3h 32m	4h 12m	4h 32m	5h 15m
Total cost (1 person)	$77	$127	$32	$20
Carbon footprint	76 kg CO₂	44 kg CO₂	9 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: 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 12, 2026.

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