Drive or Fly: Carencro, 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 LFT–MSY. At 138 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

2h 12m

Distance

138.5 mi

Total Cost

$66

CO2

56 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$31
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 45m

14m in the air

Air Distance

121 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

31 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Carencro, LA → LFT 13m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 14m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
MSY → New Orleans, LA 18m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Carencro, LA LFT — Lafayette Regional Airport 9 mi, ~13m drive
New Orleans, LA MSY — Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport 12 mi, ~18m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between LFT 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

5h 25m

4h 25m on rail

Total Cost

$23

CO2

7 kg

Route

Sunset Limited

Door-to-Door Timeline

Carencro, LA → Lafayette Amtrak Station 10m
Boarding 30m
Train ride 265m
Arrival 10m
New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal → New Orleans, LA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $23) $23

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

Stations

From Lafayette Amtrak Station 7 mi, ~10m drive
To New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal 1 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 10m

2h 25m on road

Total Cost

$13

CO2

7 kg

Route

FlixBus 2211

Door-to-Door Timeline

Carencro, LA → Lafayette (Lousiana) (4LF) 10m
Boarding 15m
Bus ride 145m
Arrival 10m
New Orleans Bus Station (NOD6) → New Orleans, LA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $13) $13

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

Stations

From 4LF — Lafayette (Lousiana) 5 mi, ~10m drive
To NOD6 — New Orleans Bus Station 1 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~21/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 Train Bus
Door-to-door time 2h 12m 2h 45m 5h 25m 3h 10m
Total cost (1 person) $66 $125 $23 $13
Carbon footprint 56 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 12, 2026.

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