Drive or Fly: Broussard, LA to Metairie Terrace, 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–MSY. At 146 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 13m

Distance

146.3 mi

Total Cost

$67

CO2

59 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$32

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 35m

15m in the air

Air Distance

123 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

31 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Broussard, LA → AEX 70m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 15m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MSY → Metairie Terrace, LA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

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

Metairie Terrace, LA MSY — Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport 6 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between AEX 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

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

6h 24m

4h 25m on rail

Total Cost

$23

CO2

7 kg

Route

Sunset Limited

Door-to-Door Timeline

Broussard, LA → Lafayette Amtrak Station 69m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 265m

Arrival 10m

New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal → Metairie Terrace, LA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $23) $23

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

Stations

From Lafayette Amtrak Station 46 mi, ~69m drive

To New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal 6 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~2/week

+ Spacious seating with legroom and power outlets

+ Walk around freely during the trip

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 2 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

3h 48m

2h 40m on road

Total Cost

$14

CO2

7 kg

Route

Greyhound 2221

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 160m

Arrival 10m

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

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $14) $14

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

Stations

From OLP6 — Opelousas (Texaco) 22 mi, ~33m drive

To NOD6 — New Orleans Bus Station 6 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	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	3h 13m	3h 35m	6h 24m	3h 48m
Total cost (1 person)	$67	$125	$23	$14
Carbon footprint	59 kg CO₂	31 kg CO₂	7 kg CO₂	7 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: Amtrak GTFS, 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 14, 2026.

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