Drive or Fly: Leawood, KS to Clearwater, 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 MCI–ICT. At 208 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 48m

Distance

208 mi

Total Cost

$79

CO2

84 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$44

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 15m

22m in the air

Air Distance

187 mi

Total Cost

$182

CO2

48 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Leawood, KS → MCI 36m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 22m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

ICT → Clearwater, KS 17m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Leawood, KS MCI — Kansas City International Airport 24 mi, ~36m drive

Clearwater, KS ICT — Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport 11 mi, ~17m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MCI 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

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

4h 57m

3h 55m on road

Total Cost

$20

CO2

10 kg

Route

FlixBus 2241

Door-to-Door Timeline

Leawood, KS → Kansas City Bus Station (KCD6) 14m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 235m

Arrival 10m

Wichita Bus Stop (WTA6) → Clearwater, KS 23m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $20) $20

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

Stations

From KCD6 — Kansas City Bus Station 10 mi, ~14m drive

To WTA6 — Wichita Bus Stop 16 mi, ~23m 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	3h 48m	3h 15m	4h 57m
Total cost (1 person)	$79	$182	$20
Carbon footprint	84 kg CO₂	48 kg CO₂	10 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 Jun 3, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

208 mi 3h 47m

via US 50, West 71st Street South, I 435; US 50

Alternative (+13 min)

221.1 mi 4h 1m

via I 470, KS 10, I 70

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