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Drive or Fly: Madison, 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 MHK–MCI. At 122 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 25m

Distance

122.9 mi

Total Cost

$62

CO2

50 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$27
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 41m

12m in the air

Air Distance

100 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

26 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Madison, KS → MHK 113m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 12m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
MCI → Leawood, KS 36m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Madison, KS MHK — Manhattan Regional Airport 75 mi, ~113m drive
Leawood, KS MCI — Kansas City International Airport 24 mi, ~36m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MHK 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
Luggage fees and restrictions
Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

7h 1m

4h 30m on rail

Total Cost

$33

CO2

10 kg

Route

Southwest Chief

Door-to-Door Timeline

Madison, KS → Newton 99m
Boarding 30m
Train ride 270m
Arrival 10m
Kansas City → Leawood, KS 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $33) $33

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

Stations

From Newton 66 mi, ~99m 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

3h 21m

1h on road

Total Cost

$7

CO2

3 kg

Route

Greyhound US0136

Door-to-Door Timeline

Madison, KS → Topeka (BP To Go) (TKA6) 102m
Boarding 15m
Bus ride 60m
Arrival 10m
Kansas City Bus Station (KCD6) → Leawood, KS 14m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $7) $7

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

Stations

From TKA6 — Topeka (BP To Go) 68 mi, ~102m 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 2h 25m 4h 41m 7h 1m 3h 21m
Total cost (1 person) $62 $124 $33 $7
Carbon footprint 50 kg CO2 26 kg CO2 10 kg CO2 3 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 15, 2026.

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