Skip to main content
US Trip Planner Logo
US Trip Planner

Drive or Fly: Joplin, MO to Kirksville, 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 JLN–IRK. At 326 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

6h 18m

Distance

326.1 mi

Total Cost

$104

CO2

132 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$69
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

2h 50m

29m in the air

Air Distance

239 mi

Total Cost

$185

CO2

61 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Joplin, MO → JLN 10m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 29m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
IRK → Kirksville, MO 11m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $130) $130
Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Joplin, MO JLN — Joplin Regional Airport 5 mi, ~10m drive
Kirksville, MO IRK — Kirksville Regional Airport 7 mi, ~11m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between JLN and IRK. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 3h 28m compared to driving
+ 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

At a Glance

Drive Fly
Door-to-door time 6h 18m 2h 50m
Total cost (1 person) $104 $185
Carbon footprint 132 kg CO2 61 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
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 Jun 3, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest
326.1 mi 6h 18m

via US 63, I 44; I 49; US 71, US 54

Shortest (+3 min)
312.8 mi 6h 21m

via I 49; US 71, I 35; MO 110, MO 6

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