Drive or Fly: New York, MO to Appleton City, 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–SGF. At 153 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

Distance

153.5 mi

Total Cost

$69

CO2

62 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$34

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

5h 17m

12m in the air

Air Distance

103 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

26 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

New York, MO → MCI 74m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 12m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SGF → Appleton City, MO 111m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

New York, MO MCI — Kansas City International Airport 50 mi, ~74m drive

Appleton City, MO SGF — Springfield Branson National Airport 74 mi, ~111m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MCI and SGF. 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

3h 56m

58m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

Lincoln Service Missouri River Runner

Door-to-Door Timeline

New York, MO → Independence Amtrak Station 74m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 58m

Arrival 10m

Warrensburg Amtrak Station → Appleton City, MO 64m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $9) $9

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

Stations

From Independence Amtrak Station 49 mi, ~74m drive

To Warrensburg Amtrak Station 43 mi, ~64m 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

4h 4m

1h 15m on road

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

Greyhound US0175s

Door-to-Door Timeline

New York, MO → Kansas City Bus Station (KCD6) 80m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 75m

Arrival 10m

Warrensburg Chamber Of Commerce (WRN6) → Appleton City, MO 64m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $6) $6

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

Stations

From KCD6 — Kansas City Bus Station 53 mi, ~80m drive

To WRN6 — Warrensburg Chamber Of Commerce 42 mi, ~64m 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	5h 17m	3h 56m	4h 4m
Total cost (1 person)	$69	$124	$9	$6
Carbon footprint	62 kg CO₂	26 kg CO₂	3 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 New York, MO to Appleton City, MO with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.