Kansas City Airport (MCI) Flights & Flight Status

If you’re flying in or out of Kansas City – whether the Missouri or Kansas side of this large two-state conurbation – you’ll be visiting Kansas City International Airport (MCI). MCI offers flights to all major US hubs, as well as many other cities within the US, plus limited flights to Canada and Mexico.

I love this airport just northwest of the Kansas City metro area, home to one of the newest and most impressive terminals in the US. With an efficient layout, local eateries and lots of space to spread out, MCI is a real pleasure.

Finding your way around MCI

MCI (coded for its old name, Mid-Continent International Airport) is really easy to get around thanks to its new single terminal design. After demolishing the old terminals, the new Kansas City terminal is a modern architectural delight. It’s a 2-concourse terminal roughly shaped like an H, with the right side housing Concourse A and the left housing Concourse B.

Concourse A is home to ground transportation access for both arrivals and departures, check-in, baggage claim and the A gates. The center bar of the H is the walkway over to a semi-satellite concourse where you’ll find the B gates and the Delta SkyClub lounge.

Arrivals is on the lower level of the main A concourse, while departures spreads across the upper level of both concourses. Shops, restaurants and bars are available on both concourses, and the offer is pretty similar in each, all the way down to having two separate Kansas City barbecue joints, plus a bonus BBQ takeout spot in concourse B.

Arriving at the airport

Flying domestic, regardless of which concourse your flight arrives at, walk to the center of Concourse A for the elevators and escalators that take you downstairs to the arrivals level. Here you’ll find baggage claim.

Flights from Canada or Mexico will arrive at the international area of the A gates, usually to the south side of the terminal. Head down the dedicated escalators and elevators to the international arrivals zone with immigration, the international baggage claim belt and US customs. This then connects to the central arrivals zone.

In the central arrivals area, you’ll find vending machines plus an &Go automated shop for food, drinks and essentials, using Amazon Just Walk Out technology. It’s a pretty cool living-in-the future kind of experience.

Exiting the terminal, you’ll find ground transportation pickup zones across 3 lanes of traffic, each of which has its own zones for pickups. The first is the family & friends pickup lane, followed by the 2 commercial lanes, which are split across 6 areas with different colored signposts and numbered columns.

On the far left of the middle lane you’ll find local buses and charter buses. In the middle of this lane you’ll find rental car shuttles and parking buses. To the right you’ll find the rideshare zone.

In the furthest lane you’ll find taxis by columns on the far left, the hotel shuttles at columns in the middle, and limos, livery cars, pre-arranged shuttles and off-airport parking shuttles to the right.

How to get to and from MCI by bus, car, taxi and rideshare

Local RideKC bus line 229 runs roughly once an hour from 5 am until 11 pm and takes about an hour to get into town. The line runs to the East Village Transit Center, with stops a couple of blocks from the KC Streetcar as well.

It’s about 20 to 30 minutes by car into the center of Kansas City, so I usually pick a rideshare or a taxi trip over the bus, especially if I have luggage.

There’s a taxi rank outside arrivals, and pre-booking local taxi and limo options can also be convenient, especially if you’re arriving early or late. SuperShuttle van and black car service also operates in Kansas City, as do rideshare apps Lyft and Uber.

If I’m being picked up by a friend, I always arrange for them to wait in the cell phone lot. I just drop them a text when I’m ready to head out of the baggage claim area and meet them in the first pickup lane directly outside of arrivals.

If you have a super early or late flight, or if your flight gets canceled, an airport hotel might make sense. There’s a Marriott within the airport grounds, but it’s not much more convenient than the dozens of airport hotel options out by Interstate 29, which all have shuttles and are usually quite a bit cheaper.

Most major car rental companies have outlets at MCI, with the rental car facility away from the terminal and accessed by the free gray shuttle bus at signpost 2E outside arrivals.

Departures from Kansas City International Airport

I love how simple it is to fly out of MCI, and how compact yet feature-filled the terminal is.

Security is right behind the check-in and bag drop counters, and leads directly into Concourse A, with just a short walk to Concourse B if your flight leaves from there. Most airlines recommend planning to be at the airport at least two hours prior to departure, and this is one airport where spending a little extra time is no problem at all.

Eating and drinking options at MCI are really great with lots of local options. Don’t pass through Kansas City without trying the famous barbecue, with its sweet sauce featuring tomato, molasses and brown sugar. Each concourse has its own barbecue joint – Meat Mitch in Concourse A and Stockyards Brewing Company in Concourse B. I find them comparable in quality, so there’s no need to head for one concourse over the other.

Coffee spots are everywhere, including a Dunkin’ in the check-in area before security and another in Concourse A after security. There’s no Starbucks, but plenty of local options instead.

MCI has 2 food halls that are great for picking up sandwiches, meals, snacks and drinks for the plane. The Made of Kansas City food hall is in the middle of Concourse A, while the City Market food hall is at the center of Concourse B.

Both concourses have pet relief areas in their respective departure zones, and there’s another in international arrivals plus a large one in the outdoor courtyard on the lower level, too.

TSA security lines, Global Entry and Mobile Passport at MCI

TSA security lines at MCI are short compared with many larger airports, but at peak times they can back up a bit, especially over vacation times and at the holidays. You can check current wait times using the My TSA app.

A TSA PreCheck fast-track lane for enrolled travelers is usually available, and it’s typically located around checkpoint 50. Look for the TSA PreCheck signage. CLEAR fast-track lanes are also available between 4 am and 6 pm, and are available for members of that program, whether enrolled in TSA PreCheck or not.

On arrival, you’ll find Global Entry kiosks if you’re coming off an international flight. The US Customs and Border Protection Mobile Passport Control app – kind of a Global-Entry-light – is also available at MCI.

Lounges and free Wi-Fi at MCI Airport

There’s just one true lounge at Kansas City International Airport, and that’s the Delta SkyClub in Concourse B.

The SkyClub is light, bright and airy, with plenty of chic seating and working spaces. The bar is a highlight, as are the two Sky Deck outside spaces, open year-round. Power outlets are plentiful and snacks are above average. Like any Delta SkyClub, it can get busy, and you should always check with the airline for the current set of access rules.

A USO lounge, on the arrivals level near baggage claim 5, serves members of the military and their dependents, whether active, reserve or National Guard. Keep in mind this it outside of security, so save time to pass through before boarding.

Kansas City International Airport offers free and unlimited Wi-Fi access. Just look for the “MCI Free WiFi” network on your device.