Drive or Fly: Benton, LA to Lake Charles, 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–LCH. At 199 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

4h 7m

Distance

199.7 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

2h 58m

21m in the air

Air Distance

174 mi

Total Cost

$127

CO2

44 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Benton, LA → SHV 27m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 21m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

LCH → Lake Charles, LA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Airports

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

Lake Charles, LA LCH — Lake Charles Regional Airport 6 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SHV and LCH. 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

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	4h 7m	2h 58m
Total cost (1 person)	$79	$127
Carbon footprint	81 kg CO₂	44 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

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 Lake Charles, LA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.