Drive or Fly: Wichita, KS to Arkansas City, KS?

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 ICT–ICT. At 62 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 18m

Distance

62.1 mi

Total Cost

$49

CO2

25 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$14

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 25m

6m in the air

Air Distance

47 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

12 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Wichita, KS → ICT 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 6m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

ICT → Arkansas City, KS 69m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Wichita, KS ICT — Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport 6 mi, ~10m drive

Arkansas City, KS ICT — Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport 46 mi, ~69m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ICT and ICT. 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

1h 38m

12m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Amtrak Thruway Connecting Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Wichita, KS → Wichita Amtrak Station 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 12m

Arrival 10m

Wellington → Arkansas City, KS 36m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $6) $6

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

Stations

From Wichita Amtrak Station 1 mi, ~10m drive

To Wellington 24 mi, ~36m 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	1h 18m	3h 25m	1h 38m
Total cost (1 person)	$49	$122	$6
Carbon footprint	25 kg CO₂	12 kg CO₂	2 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 12, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Wichita, KS to Arkansas City, KS with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.