Drive or Fly: O'Fallon, MO to Rich Hill, 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–JLN. At 271 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

5h 15m

Distance

271.3 mi

Total Cost

$95

CO2

110 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$60

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 30m

24m in the air

Air Distance

204 mi

Total Cost

$183

CO2

52 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

O'Fallon, MO → STL 27m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 24m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

JLN → Rich Hill, MO 99m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $128) $128

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

O'Fallon, MO STL — St. Louis Lambert International Airport 18 mi, ~27m drive

Rich Hill, MO JLN — Joplin Regional Airport 66 mi, ~99m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between STL and JLN. 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

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

6h 54m

4h 15m on rail

Total Cost

$43

CO2

12 kg

Route

Lincoln Service Missouri River Runner

Door-to-Door Timeline

O'Fallon, MO → Kirkwood Amtrak Station 34m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 255m

Arrival 10m

Lee'S Summit Amtrak → Rich Hill, MO 85m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $43) $43

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

Stations

From Kirkwood Amtrak Station 22 mi, ~34m drive

To Lee'S Summit Amtrak 56 mi, ~85m 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 15m	4h 30m	6h 54m
Total cost (1 person)	$95	$183	$43
Carbon footprint	110 kg CO₂	52 kg CO₂	12 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 15, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from O'Fallon, MO to Rich Hill, MO with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.