Drive or Fly: Benton, LA to Lafayette, 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–LFT. At 224 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

4h 3m

Distance

224.9 mi

Total Cost

$85

CO2

91 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$50

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 1m

24m in the air

Air Distance

199 mi

Total Cost

$183

CO2

51 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Benton, LA → SHV 27m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 24m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

LFT → Lafayette, LA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $128) $128

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Benton, LA SHV — Shreveport Regional Airport 18 mi, ~27m drive

Lafayette, LA LFT — Lafayette Regional Airport 2 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SHV and LFT. 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 55m

5h on road

Total Cost

$21

CO2

11 kg

Route

Greyhound US1170s

Door-to-Door Timeline

Benton, LA → Shreveport Bus Station (SHR6) 20m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 300m

Arrival 10m

Lafayette Transit System (LAF6) → Lafayette, LA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $21) $21

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

Stations

From SHR6 — Shreveport Bus Station 14 mi, ~20m drive

To LAF6 — Lafayette Transit System 0 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~14/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

− 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 3m	3h 1m	5h 55m
Total cost (1 person)	$85	$183	$21
Carbon footprint	91 kg CO₂	51 kg CO₂	11 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 Lafayette, LA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.