Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Confusion; Human-Machine Interface
Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance
Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Returned To Clearance; Flight Crew Became Reoriented
Human Factors
While departing MCI; Departure Control gave us 'Direct CAYKO'. Even though I read back 'Direct CAYKO'; I inadvertently selected KEOKK. We both verified the wrong fix. While checking in with Kansas City Center; we were asked if we were on a heading or direct CAYKO. I read back 'Direct CAYKO'. Center then asked our heading to CAYKO in a tone that seemed confused. As I was responding 'Heading 059'; I looked in the FMS and realized the error. The FO (First Officer) was hand flying at the time.The obvious fix to this situation is to ensure that verification is accomplished properly. Confirming the wrong fix does not even give verification a chance. We need to make sure we actually read the name of the fix instead of just seeing it. A simple mix up of the letter K versus the CAY in CAYKO could have led to other issues.
During the initial climb out from Kansas City; Departure cleared us to CAYKO on the Royal6 departure. We were still in the initial climb and was in the process of cleaning the aircraft up. I called for flaps 1 right as Departure cleared us to CAYKO. My captain loaded KEOKK thinking it was CAYKO. I confirmed KEOKK before he activated the FMS. After calling for flaps up and auto pilot on; departure then asked us if we were direct CAYKO; which he confirmed we were. Departure then asked us to verify our heading to CAYKO in which he stated 295. Departure then asked us to confirm CAYKO as Charlie; Alpha; Yankee; Kilo; Oscar. It was here were we discovered our mistake in loading KEOKK instead of CAYKO. Departure then gave us a heading of 310 to get back on the departure route. After the heading of 310; we were then cleared direct to KEOKK on the arrival.This event could have been prevented by [verifying] more and confirming twice that CAYKO was actually CAYKO and not KEOKK. This event also occurred during a high workload time as we were still in the process of cleaning the aircraft up for initial climb. Both the captain and I should have confirmed better the fix of CAYKO and monitored that is what we truly loaded and not KEOKK. We could have also confirmed with ATC the spelling of CAYKO since there was a confusion.
EMB175 Flight Crew reports being cleared direct to CAYKO on the ROYAL6 departure but selects and confirms direct KEOKK. ATC detects the error and gives the crew a phonetic spelling of the fix name.