Drive or Fly: Sullivan, MO to Kansas 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 STL–MCI. At 241 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 49m

Distance

241.8 mi

Total Cost

$88

CO2

98 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$53

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 12m

23m in the air

Air Distance

194 mi

Total Cost

$183

CO2

50 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Sullivan, MO → STL 85m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 23m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MCI → Kansas City, MO 24m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $128) $128

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Sullivan, MO STL — St. Louis Lambert International Airport 57 mi, ~85m drive

Kansas City, MO MCI — Kansas City International Airport 16 mi, ~24m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between STL 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

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

6h 3m

4h 34m on rail

Total Cost

$39

CO2

11 kg

Route

Missouri River Runner

Door-to-Door Timeline

Sullivan, MO → Washington Amtrak Station 39m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 274m

Arrival 10m

Kansas City → Kansas City, MO 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $39) $39

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

Stations

From Washington Amtrak Station 26 mi, ~39m drive

To Kansas City 1 mi, ~10m 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

5h 57m

4h 45m on road

Total Cost

$21

CO2

11 kg

Route

Greyhound US0175s

Door-to-Door Timeline

Sullivan, MO → Washington (WAS6) 37m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 285m

Arrival 10m

Kansas City Bus Station (KCD6) → Kansas City, MO 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $21) $21

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

Stations

From WAS6 — Washington 25 mi, ~37m drive

To KCD6 — Kansas City Bus Station 1 mi, ~10m 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	4h 49m	4h 12m	6h 3m	5h 57m
Total cost (1 person)	$88	$183	$39	$21
Carbon footprint	98 kg CO₂	50 kg CO₂	11 kg CO₂	11 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 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

241.8 mi 4h 48m

via I 70; US 40, US 50, US 63

Shortest (+11 min)

231.4 mi 5h 0m

via US 50, MO 185, MO 350

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Sullivan, MO to Kansas City, MO with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.