How far is Lee's Summit, MO from Lexington, MO?

The driving distance from Lee's Summit, MO to Lexington, MO is about 48.2 miles (77.5 km), with a travel time of about 01h 02m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 32.9 miles (53 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 02h 05m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM CDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This route works well as a day trip with time at the destination. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
48.14 mi
01h 02m
Flight
32.93 mi
53 km direct

This route works well as a day trip with time at the destination.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Lee's Summit.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
32.93 mi
Kilometers
53 km
Flight Time
00h 03m

Driving Distance

Road route
48.14 mi
Kilometers
77.47 km
Drive Time
01h 02m

Gas Cost Calculator

Leave and Arrive Planner

Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.

Drive time stays fixed at 01h 02m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Lexington
Thu, Apr 30, 4:13 AM CDT
Return by in Lee's Summit
Thu, Apr 30, 5:16 AM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Lee's Summit
2026-04-30T03:10
Arrive Lexington
Thu, Apr 30, 4:13 AM CDT
Route Timing
01h 02m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM CDT
Aim for a morning departure
Arrive between
9:03 AM to 11:03 AM CDT

A morning start gives you useful time at the destination and keeps the return out of the late evening.

Leave by
4:24 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 03h 00m at the destination.
Back in Lee's Summit
9:30 PM CDT
Morning start is best

You are leaving earlier than the recommended window, which gives you extra margin for breaks and traffic.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
Bates City
MO

City in Lafayette County, Missouri, United States

From Lee's Summit
24 mi
00h 31m
To Lexington
24.1 mi
00h 31m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
66°F
Thursday

Partly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Thu, Apr 30 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
2 to 8 mph W
Destination
64°F
Thursday

Partly Sunny then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Thu, Apr 30 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
2 to 6 mph WSW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Lee's Summit and Lexington.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Lee's Summit and Lexington.

  1. 1

    Start on Southwest 3rd Street

    1495 ft · 41 sec · Southwest 3rd Street

  2. 2

    Continue on Southeast 3rd Street

    109 m · 16 sec · Southeast 3rd Street

  3. 3

    Turn left onto Southeast Douglas Street

    2.2 mi · 4 min · Southeast Douglas Street

  4. 4

    Take the ramp right toward I 470 North: Independence, Saint Louis

    1160 ft · 28 sec

  5. 5

    Merge slight left onto I 470 North: Saint Louis

    7 mi · 8 min

  6. 6

    Take the exit slight right toward I 70 East: Saint Louis

    2063 ft · 44 sec

  7. 7

    Merge slight left onto Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway

    1.1 mi · 1 min · Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway

  8. 8

    Continue on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

    19.7 mi · 22 min · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

  9. 9

    Take the exit slight right toward MO 131: Odessa

    974 ft · 44 sec

  10. 10

    Turn straight onto West Old U.S. 40

    1061 ft · 25 sec · West Old U.S. 40

  11. 11

    Turn left

    8.4 mi · 11 min

  12. 12

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 1 toward US 24 East: Lexington

    4 m · 1 sec

  13. 13

    Exit the roundabout onto US 24 East: Lexington

    6.5 mi · 8 min

  14. 14

    Take the exit slight right toward MO 13 Business: Lexington

    1053 ft · 34 sec

  15. 15

    Turn right onto 13th Street

    1.7 mi · 4 min · 13th Street

  16. 16

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · South 13th Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Lee's Summit and Lexington.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Highway-focused drive

Most of the mileage stays on named highways, so the important moments are ramps, exits, merges, and the final local approach.

Directions
16 steps
6 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
8
2 merges, 6 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
33.3 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
19.7 mi · 41%
I 470 North
7.22 mi · 15%
US 24 East
6.48 mi · 13%
Southeast Douglas Street
2.2 mi · 5%
13th Street
1.72 mi · 4%
Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Highway
1.13 mi · 2%
Longest Stretch

Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

Continue on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

19.7 mi · 00h 22m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

A comfortable day-trip route

This route works well as a day trip. You can leave in the morning, spend meaningful time at the destination, and still return the same day.

Drive Time
01h 02m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
02h 06m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+15.3 mi
32.9 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Bates City
00h 31m from Lee's Summit
Leave By
4:24 PM CDT
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Partly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms leaving Lee's Summit and Partly Sunny then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Lexington.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Lee's Summit to Lexington?

The road trip is about 48.2 miles (77.5 km) and usually takes 01h 02m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This route works well as a day trip. You can leave in the morning, spend meaningful time at the destination, and still return the same day.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Bates City is a useful midpoint, sitting about 24 miles from Lee's Summit and 24.1 miles from Lexington.

How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?

The direct path is about 32.9 miles (53 km), while the road route adds roughly 15.3 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.

When is the best time to leave for this route?

A good departure window is usually 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM CDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 4:24 PM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $6.41 one way or $12.82 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 15.1 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Partly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms around Lee's Summit and Partly Sunny then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Lexington.

Stop Ideas Near Bates City

Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Bates City, so nearby transit and meeting points are shown instead.
Reviewed stop coverage is still thin around this midpoint, so practical transit waypoints are shown on the right.

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Bates City.

RAIL

Lee's Summit

28 mi away
217 SW Main St.
RAIL

Independence

32 mi away
600 South Grand Ave.
RAIL

Warrensburg

39 mi away
100 South Holden St.
RAIL

Union Station

45 mi away
30 West Pershing Rd.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Lee's Summit and Lexington. Straight-line distance: 32.93 mi (53 km).

Lee's Summit

#1 Lee's Summit

The most populous city in Jackson County, Missouri.

Population101,467
Coordinates38.9108400, -94.3821700
Altitude316
CountryUnited States
Lexington

#2 Lexington

City in Lafayette County, Missouri, United States

Population4,543
Coordinates39.1847300, -93.8799400
Altitude259
CountryUnited States
Start: Lee's Summit (-94.38217, 38.91084)
End: Lexington (-93.87994, 39.18473)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 77 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)01h 36m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)01h 12m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 57m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 48m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 41m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 36m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
1.7 gal
6.43 L · about $6.41
Round trip
$12.82
3.4 gal · 12.86 L
Estimated CO2
15.1 kg one way
Round trip: 30.2 kg / 67 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $6.41 $12.82
Mid-grade $4.25 $7.23 $14.46
Premium $4.65 $7.91 $15.82
Diesel $5.30 $9.02 $18.03

Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.

Prices in Missouri · Apr 30, 2026

There is no time difference between Lee's Summit and Lexington. The current time is 03:10:27.

Distance to Other Cities

Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.