Drive or Fly: Wildwood, MO to New York, 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 242 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 56m

Distance

242.5 mi

Total Cost

$89

CO2

98 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$54

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 6m

23m in the air

Air Distance

191 mi

Total Cost

$183

CO2

49 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Wildwood, MO → STL 29m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 23m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MCI → New York, MO 74m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $128) $128

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Wildwood, MO STL — St. Louis Lambert International Airport 20 mi, ~29m drive

New York, MO MCI — Kansas City International Airport 50 mi, ~74m 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 46m

4h 31m on rail

Total Cost

$44

CO2

13 kg

Route

Lincoln Service Missouri River Runner

Door-to-Door Timeline

Wildwood, MO → Kirkwood Amtrak Station 21m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 271m

Arrival 10m

Independence Amtrak Station → New York, MO 74m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $44) $44

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

Stations

From Kirkwood Amtrak Station 14 mi, ~21m drive

To Independence Amtrak Station 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

6h 59m

4h 45m on road

Total Cost

$21

CO2

11 kg

Route

Greyhound US0175s

Door-to-Door Timeline

Wildwood, MO → Washington (WAS6) 29m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 285m

Arrival 10m

Kansas City Bus Station (KCD6) → New York, MO 80m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $21) $21

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

Stations

From WAS6 — Washington 19 mi, ~29m drive

To KCD6 — Kansas City Bus Station 53 mi, ~80m 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 56m	4h 6m	6h 46m	6h 59m
Total cost (1 person)	$89	$183	$44	$21
Carbon footprint	98 kg CO₂	49 kg CO₂	13 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

242.5 mi 4h 56m

via US 24; US 36; MO 110, I 64; US 40; US 61, US 36; MO 110

Alternative (+2 min)

247.1 mi 4h 59m

via I 70; US 40, US 36; MO 110, US 63

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Wildwood, MO to New York, MO with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.