Drive or Fly: Kearney, NE to Burwell, NE?

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 EAR–GRI. At 86 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 45m

Distance

86.6 mi

Total Cost

$54

CO2

35 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$19

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 5m

9m in the air

Air Distance

75 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

19 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Kearney, NE → EAR 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 9m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

GRI → Burwell, NE 106m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Kearney, NE EAR — Kearney Regional Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

Burwell, NE GRI — Central Nebraska Regional Airport 71 mi, ~106m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between EAR and GRI. 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

3h 16m

50m on road

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Greyhound US0123S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Kearney, NE → Kearney (Pump and Pantry) (KYN6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 50m

Arrival 10m

Grand Island Bus Station (GRI6) → Burwell, NE 111m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $5) $5

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

Stations

From KYN6 — Kearney (Pump and Pantry) 1 mi, ~10m drive

To GRI6 — Grand Island Bus Station 74 mi, ~111m 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	1h 45m	4h 5m	3h 16m
Total cost (1 person)	$54	$123	$5
Carbon footprint	35 kg CO₂	19 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: 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 21, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

86.6 mi 1h 44m

via N-10, N-11, N-70

Alternative (+10 min)

91.6 mi 1h 55m

via Ravenna Road, N-11, N-70

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Kearney, NE to Burwell, NE with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.