Drive or Fly: Benton, LA to Baton Rouge, 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 SHV–BTR. At 260 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

4h 52m

Distance

260.2 mi

Total Cost

$93

CO2

105 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$58
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 3m

26m in the air

Air Distance

216 mi

Total Cost

$184

CO2

55 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Benton, LA → SHV 27m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 26m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
BTR → Baton Rouge, LA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $129) $129
Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Benton, LA SHV — Shreveport Regional Airport 18 mi, ~27m drive
Baton Rouge, LA BTR — Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport 7 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SHV and BTR. 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 50m

4h 55m on road

Total Cost

$23

CO2

12 kg

Route

Greyhound 2221

Door-to-Door Timeline

Benton, LA → Shreveport Bus Station (SHR6) 20m
Boarding 15m
Bus ride 295m
Arrival 10m
Baton Rouge Bus Station (BTR6) → Baton Rouge, LA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $23) $23

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

Stations

From SHR6 — Shreveport Bus Station 14 mi, ~20m drive
To BTR6 — Baton Rouge Bus Station 1 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 4h 52m 3h 3m 5h 50m
Total cost (1 person) $93 $184 $23
Carbon footprint 105 kg CO2 55 kg CO2 12 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 13, 2026.

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