Drive or Fly: Central, LA to Gretna, 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 BTR–MSY. At 91 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 53m

Distance

91.4 mi

Total Cost

$55

CO2

37 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$20

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 40m

9m in the air

Air Distance

73 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

19 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Central, LA → BTR 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 9m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MSY → Gretna, LA 21m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Central, LA BTR — Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport 7 mi, ~10m drive

Gretna, LA MSY — Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport 14 mi, ~21m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BTR 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

3h 17m

1h 35m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

City of New Orleans

Door-to-Door Timeline

Central, LA → Hammond Amtrak Station 52m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 95m

Arrival 10m

New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal → Gretna, LA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $9) $9

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

Stations

From Hammond Amtrak Station 34 mi, ~52m drive

To New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal 3 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~4/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 4 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

2h 12m

1h 20m on road

Total Cost

CO2

4 kg

Route

FlixBus N2210

Door-to-Door Timeline

Central, LA → Baton Rouge Bus Station (BTR6) 17m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 80m

Arrival 10m

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

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $8) $8

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

Stations

From BTR6 — Baton Rouge Bus Station 11 mi, ~17m drive

To NOD6 — New Orleans Bus Station 3 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	1h 53m	2h 40m	3h 17m	2h 12m
Total cost (1 person)	$55	$123	$9	$8
Carbon footprint	37 kg CO₂	19 kg CO₂	3 kg CO₂	4 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 Central, LA to Gretna, LA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.