Drive or Fly: New Madrid, MO to Saint Joseph, 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 CGI–MCI. At 455 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

8h 34m

Distance

455.2 mi

Total Cost

$136

CO2

184 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$101

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

− Driver fatigue on longer stretches

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

4h 40m

44m in the air

Air Distance

363 mi

Total Cost

$190

CO2

93 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

New Madrid, MO → CGI 66m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 44m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MCI → Saint Joseph, MO 50m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $135) $135

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

New Madrid, MO CGI — Cape Girardeau Regional Airport 44 mi, ~66m drive

Saint Joseph, MO MCI — Kansas City International Airport 33 mi, ~50m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between CGI and MCI. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 3h 54m compared to driving

+ 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	8h 34m	4h 40m
Total cost (1 person)	$136	$190
Carbon footprint	184 kg CO₂	93 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

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 13, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from New Madrid, MO to Saint Joseph, MO with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.