Drive or Fly: Benton, LA to New Orleans, 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–MSY. At 340 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

5h 19m

Distance

340.8 mi

Total Cost

$110

CO2

138 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$75

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 20m

35m in the air

Air Distance

288 mi

Total Cost

$187

CO2

73 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Benton, LA → SHV 27m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 35m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MSY → New Orleans, LA 18m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $132) $132

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

New Orleans, LA MSY — Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport 12 mi, ~18m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SHV 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

7h 20m

6h 25m on road

Total Cost

$31

CO2

16 kg

Route

Greyhound 2221

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 385m

Arrival 10m

New Orleans Bus Station (NOD6) → New Orleans, LA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $31) $31

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

Stations

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

To NOD6 — New Orleans 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	5h 19m	3h 20m	7h 20m
Total cost (1 person)	$110	$187	$31
Carbon footprint	138 kg CO₂	73 kg CO₂	16 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 15, 2026.

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