Drive or Fly: Oakland, 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 STL–MCI. At 301 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

5h 45m

Distance

301.3 mi

Total Cost

$102

CO2

122 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$67

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

30m in the air

Air Distance

253 mi

Total Cost

$185

CO2

64 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Oakland, MO → STL 18m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 30m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MCI → Saint Joseph, MO 50m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $130) $130

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Oakland, MO STL — St. Louis Lambert International Airport 12 mi, ~18m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 2h 7m 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

7h 15m

5h 11m on rail

Total Cost

$46

CO2

13 kg

Route

Missouri River Runner

Door-to-Door Timeline

Oakland, MO → Kirkwood Amtrak Station 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 311m

Arrival 10m

Kansas City → Saint Joseph, MO 74m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $46) $46

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

Stations

From Kirkwood Amtrak Station 1 mi, ~10m drive

To Kansas City 49 mi, ~74m 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	5h 45m	3h 38m	7h 15m
Total cost (1 person)	$102	$185	$46
Carbon footprint	122 kg CO₂	64 kg CO₂	13 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 14, 2026.

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