City guide
Kansas City MCI: What to Do on a Layover
River Market in 2 hours: burnt ends, jazz district history, the Arabia Steamboat Museum.
Getting from the airport
MCI to city center: 35 minutes by bus (KCI Express). Fare is $1.5. Trains run every 30 minutes. Service runs 04:30 to 23:30. Skip the taxi unless your connection is under 5 hours.
What to do in Kansas City
The stops worth making: National World War I Museum, Country Club Plaza, Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City BBQ at Arthur Bryant's. You do not need the full tourist circuit. Pick two and commit.
Visa and entry
Kansas City is visa-free for US passports. No application, no fee. The border process at MCI is standard. Budget 30 minutes.
How long do you need
The minimum useful layover is 3 hours. That gives you 35 minutes in each direction plus about 20 minutes on the ground. Up to 24 hours is a proper overnight.