Drive or Fly: Oak Grove, MO to Dallas, 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–MCI. At 33 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

42m

Distance

33.7 mi

Total Cost

$42

CO2

14 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$7

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

3h 38m

3m in the air

Air Distance

26 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

7 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Oak Grove, MO → MCI 56m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 3m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MCI → Dallas, MO 39m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Oak Grove, MO MCI — Kansas City International Airport 37 mi, ~56m drive

Dallas, MO MCI — Kansas City International Airport 26 mi, ~39m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MCI 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

2h 4m

47m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Missouri River Runner

Door-to-Door Timeline

Oak Grove, MO → Lee'S Summit Amtrak 22m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 47m

Arrival 10m

Kansas City → Dallas, MO 15m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $3) $3

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

Stations

From Lee'S Summit Amtrak 15 mi, ~22m drive

To Kansas City 10 mi, ~15m 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	42m	3h 38m	2h 4m
Total cost (1 person)	$42	$121	$3
Carbon footprint	14 kg CO₂	7 kg CO₂	1 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 — 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

33.7 mi 41m

via I 435, I 70; US 40

Alternative (+0 min)

34.2 mi 42m

via I 470, I 70; US 40, I 470; MO 291

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Oak Grove, MO to Dallas, MO with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.