Drive or Fly: Lyons, KS to Leawood, 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 SLN–MCI. At 215 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 3m

Distance

215.7 mi

Total Cost

$83

CO2

87 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$48

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 4m

24m in the air

Air Distance

198 mi

Total Cost

$183

CO2

51 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lyons, KS → SLN 64m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 24m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MCI → Leawood, KS 36m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $128) $128

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Lyons, KS SLN — Salina Municipal Airport 43 mi, ~64m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SLN and MCI. 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

6h 40m

5h 11m on rail

Total Cost

$39

CO2

11 kg

Route

Southwest Chief

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lyons, KS → Hutchinson Amtrak Station 37m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 311m

Arrival 10m

Kansas City → Leawood, KS 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $39) $39

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

Stations

From Hutchinson Amtrak Station 25 mi, ~37m drive

To Kansas City 8 mi, ~12m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~3/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 3 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

4h 55m

3h 10m on road

Total Cost

$18

CO2

10 kg

Route

Greyhound US1200

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lyons, KS → Salina (Super 8) (SKS6) 66m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 190m

Arrival 10m

Kansas City Bus Station (KCD6) → Leawood, KS 14m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $18) $18

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

Stations

From SKS6 — Salina (Super 8) 44 mi, ~66m drive

To KCD6 — Kansas City Bus Station 10 mi, ~14m 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	4h 3m	4h 4m	6h 40m	4h 55m
Total cost (1 person)	$83	$183	$39	$18
Carbon footprint	87 kg CO₂	51 kg CO₂	11 kg CO₂	10 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

215.7 mi 4h 2m

via I 35, US 56, US 50

Alternative (+20 min)

242.5 mi 4h 23m

via I 70; US 40, KS 10, KS 14; KS 96

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