Drive or Fly: Broussard, 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 AEX–LFT. At 53 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 1m

Distance

53.6 mi

Total Cost

$47

CO2

22 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$12

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 26m

6m in the air

Air Distance

46 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

12 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Broussard, LA → AEX 70m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 6m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

LFT → Lafayette, LA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Broussard, LA AEX — Alexandria International Airport 47 mi, ~70m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between AEX 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

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

1h 38m

30m on road

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Greyhound US1170s

Door-to-Door Timeline

Broussard, LA → Opelousas (Texaco) (OLP6) 33m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 30m

Arrival 10m

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

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $3) $3

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

Stations

From OLP6 — Opelousas (Texaco) 22 mi, ~33m 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	1h 1m	3h 26m	1h 38m
Total cost (1 person)	$47	$122	$3
Carbon footprint	22 kg CO₂	12 kg CO₂	1 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 12, 2026.

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