the convenience of flying in or out of SGF has to be weighed against the increased potential for delays due to layovers. i have to travel a lot for work, and have started driving to XNA or MCI specifically for the nonstop flights. time-wise it’s about the same, but you can usually save quite a bit of money as well (especially at MCI).

for instance, SGF to NYC is ~$550 with a layover, while XNA is about $100 less for nonstop. meanwhile, MCI is usually less than $200 for a nonstop, which leaves you more than enough for a rental car if you need one.