Drive or Fly: Salem, MO to Lee's Summit, 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 TBN–MCI. At 215 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 37m

Distance

215.3 mi

Total Cost

$76

CO2

87 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$41

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

21m in the air

Air Distance

177 mi

Total Cost

$182

CO2

45 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Salem, MO → TBN 51m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 21m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MCI → Lee's Summit, MO 48m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Salem, MO TBN — Waynesville-St. Robert Regional Airport-Forney Field 34 mi, ~51m drive

Lee's Summit, MO MCI — Kansas City International Airport 32 mi, ~48m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between TBN 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

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

7h 18m

4h 45m on road

Total Cost

$21

CO2

11 kg

Route

Greyhound US0175s

Door-to-Door Timeline

Salem, MO → Washington (WAS6) 103m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 285m

Arrival 10m

Kansas City Bus Station (KCD6) → Lee's Summit, MO 25m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $21) $21

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

Stations

From WAS6 — Washington 68 mi, ~103m drive

To KCD6 — Kansas City Bus Station 16 mi, ~25m 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	Bus
Door-to-door time	4h 37m	4h	7h 18m
Total cost (1 person)	$76	$182	$21
Carbon footprint	87 kg CO₂	45 kg CO₂	11 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 Jul 20, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

215.3 mi 4h 36m

via US 50, US 63; MO 28, MO 72

Alternative (+14 min)

242.4 mi 4h 51m

via I 70; US 40, US 63; MO 28, US 63

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Salem, MO to Lee's Summit, MO with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.