Drive or Fly: Ball, LA to Houma, LA?

Side-by-side comparison of driving versus flying for this route. Costs, time, and trade-offs at a glance.

Driving wins

Medium

No scheduled commercial flights found for AEX–MSY. At 200 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

3h 15m

Distance

200.2 mi

Total Cost

$79

CO2

81 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$44

Hotel (1 room, 0 nights) $0

Meals (1 pax, 1 day) $35

+ No luggage restrictions or TSA lines

+ Comfortable one-day drive

+ Stop anywhere along the route

+ Have your own car at the destination

+ Likely faster door-to-door than flying

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

3h 32m

19m in the air

Air Distance

161 mi

Total Cost

$181

CO2

41 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Ball, LA → AEX 15m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 19m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MSY → Houma, LA 58m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Ball, LA AEX — Alexandria International Airport 10 mi, ~15m drive

Houma, LA MSY — Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport 39 mi, ~58m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between AEX and MSY. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Less physical fatigue

+ Predictable arrival time

− Airport security and check-in overhead

− No scheduled commercial flights found for this route

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

5h 26m

4h 35m on road

Total Cost

$17

CO2

9 kg

Route

Greyhound US1170s

Door-to-Door Timeline

Ball, LA → Boyce, LA (BOY6) 16m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 275m

Arrival 10m

Gray (Terrabone Casino) (HMA6) → Houma, LA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $17) $17

Estimated based on distance. Check flixbus.com for current prices.

Stations

From BOY6 — Boyce, LA 11 mi, ~16m drive

To HMA6 — Gray (Terrabone Casino) 7 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~7/week

+ Usually the cheapest option

+ Wi-Fi and power outlets on board

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 7 trips per week

− Travel time longer than driving

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Bus
Door-to-door time	3h 15m	3h 32m	5h 26m
Total cost (1 person)	$79	$181	$17
Carbon footprint	81 kg CO₂	41 kg CO₂	9 kg CO₂
Flexibility	High	Low
Luggage	Unlimited	Restricted
Reliability	Weather dependent	Data unavailable

Drive data: OSRM routing, EIA fuel prices

Flight data: Statistical estimate

Airports: OurAirports

Transit: FlixBus GTFS — fares estimated

Confidence: Medium — airports identified, fares estimated

Costs are estimates. Actual flight prices vary by airline, date, and booking time. Drive costs based on OSRM routing, EIA fuel prices. Computed Apr 12, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Ball, LA to Houma, LA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.