Drive or Fly: Catahoula, 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 LFT–MSY. At 125 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

2h 13m

Distance

125.1 mi

Total Cost

$63

CO2

51 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$28

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 46m

11m in the air

Air Distance

94 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

24 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Catahoula, LA → LFT 25m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 11m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MSY → Metairie Terrace, LA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Catahoula, LA LFT — Lafayette Regional Airport 17 mi, ~25m drive

Metairie Terrace, LA MSY — Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport 6 mi, ~10m 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 39m

3h 59m on rail

Total Cost

$21

CO2

7 kg

Route

Sunset Limited

Door-to-Door Timeline

Catahoula, LA → New Iberia Amtrak 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 239m

Arrival 10m

New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal → Metairie Terrace, LA 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $21) $21

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

Stations

From New Iberia Amtrak 0 mi, ~30m drive

To New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal 0 mi, ~30m 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

4h 40m

3h 15m on road

Total Cost

$11

CO2

7 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Catahoula, LA → New Iberia (Texaco) (NIB6) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 195m

Arrival 10m

New Orleans Bus Station (NOD6) → Metairie Terrace, LA 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $11) $11

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

Stations

From NIB6 — New Iberia (Texaco) 0 mi, ~30m drive

To NOD6 — New Orleans Bus Station 0 mi, ~30m 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	2h 13m	2h 46m	5h 39m	4h 40m
Total cost (1 person)	$63	$124	$21	$11
Carbon footprint	51 kg CO₂	24 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 Catahoula, LA to Metairie Terrace, LA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.