Drive or Fly: Leawood, KS to Ness 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 MCI–HYS. At 320 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

5h 56m

Distance

320.1 mi

Total Cost

$105

CO2

129 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$70

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 15m

34m in the air

Air Distance

287 mi

Total Cost

$186

CO2

73 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Leawood, KS → MCI 36m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 34m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

HYS → Ness City, KS 65m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $131) $131

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Ness City, KS HYS — Hays Regional Airport 44 mi, ~65m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MCI and HYS. 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

8h 36m

6h 31m on rail

Total Cost

$62

CO2

18 kg

Route

Southwest Chief

Door-to-Door Timeline

Leawood, KS → Kansas City 12m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 391m

Arrival 10m

Dodge City Amtrak Station → Ness City, KS 73m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $62) $62

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

Stations

From Kansas City 8 mi, ~12m drive

To Dodge City Amtrak Station 49 mi, ~73m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~4/week

+ Spacious seating with legroom and power outlets

+ Walk around freely during the trip

+ Scenic views along the route

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 4 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

8h 40m

6h 55m on road

Total Cost

$28

CO2

15 kg

Route

Greyhound US0180s

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 415m

Arrival 10m

Hays (HSY6) → Ness City, KS 66m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $28) $28

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

Stations

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

To HSY6 — Hays 44 mi, ~66m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~8/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 8 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	5h 56m	4h 15m	8h 36m	8h 40m
Total cost (1 person)	$105	$186	$62	$28
Carbon footprint	129 kg CO₂	73 kg CO₂	18 kg CO₂	15 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 Jun 3, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

320.1 mi 5h 55m

via I 70, KS 96, KS 156

Shortest (+1 min)

310.5 mi 5h 56m

via US 50, US 56, KS 96

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