Drive or Fly: Clay Center, KS to Kansas 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 MHK–MCI. At 158 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 58m

Distance

158.2 mi

Total Cost

$70

CO2

64 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$35

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 21m

16m in the air

Air Distance

135 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

34 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Clay Center, KS → MHK 44m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 16m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MCI → Kansas City, KS 21m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Clay Center, KS MHK — Manhattan Regional Airport 29 mi, ~44m drive

Kansas City, KS MCI — Kansas City International Airport 14 mi, ~21m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MHK 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

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

5h 4m

3h 45m on road

Total Cost

$13

CO2

7 kg

Route

Greyhound US0180s

Door-to-Door Timeline

Clay Center, KS → Junction City (The Joint) (JCC6) 44m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 225m

Arrival 10m

Kansas City 47Th St Transit Center (KSC6) → Kansas City, KS 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $13) $13

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

Stations

From JCC6 — Junction City (The Joint) 30 mi, ~44m drive

To KSC6 — Kansas City 47Th St Transit Center 3 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	Bus
Door-to-door time	2h 58m	3h 21m	5h 4m
Total cost (1 person)	$70	$125	$13
Carbon footprint	64 kg CO₂	34 kg CO₂	7 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: 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 19, 2026.

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