Drive or Fly: Bernice, LA to Metairie, 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 ELD–MSY. At 311 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

6h 4m

Distance

311.6 mi

Total Cost

$104

CO2

126 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$69

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 23m

29m in the air

Air Distance

245 mi

Total Cost

$185

CO2

63 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Bernice, LA → ELD 44m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 29m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MSY → Metairie, LA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $130) $130

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Bernice, LA ELD — South Arkansas Regional Airport at Goodwin Field 29 mi, ~44m drive

Metairie, LA MSY — Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport 7 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 2h 41m compared to driving

+ 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

9h 41m

8h 35m on road

Total Cost

$26

CO2

14 kg

Route

Greyhound US1170s

Door-to-Door Timeline

Bernice, LA → Ruston (Tech Mart) (RST6) 31m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 515m

Arrival 10m

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

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $26) $26

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

Stations

From RST6 — Ruston (Tech Mart) 21 mi, ~31m drive

To NOD6 — New Orleans Bus Station 5 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	6h 4m	3h 23m	9h 41m
Total cost (1 person)	$104	$185	$26
Carbon footprint	126 kg CO₂	63 kg CO₂	14 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

311.6 mi 6h 4m

via US 61, US 425, I 10

Alternative (+9 min)

311.9 mi 6h 14m

via I 10, I 49; US 167; US 71 BYP, US 190

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