Drive or Fly: DeRidder, LA to Central, 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 LCH–BTR. At 161 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

3h 27m

Distance

161.3 mi

Total Cost

$71

CO2

65 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$36

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 41m

16m in the air

Air Distance

135 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

35 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

DeRidder, LA → LCH 75m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 16m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BTR → Central, LA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

DeRidder, LA LCH — Lake Charles Regional Airport 50 mi, ~75m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between LCH and BTR. 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

3h 42m

1h 55m on road

Total Cost

$13

CO2

7 kg

Route

FlixBus 2211

Door-to-Door Timeline

DeRidder, LA → Lake Charles (City Point) (2LS) 65m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 115m

Arrival 10m

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

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $13) $13

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

Stations

From 2LS — Lake Charles (City Point) 43 mi, ~65m drive

To BTR6 — Baton Rouge Bus Station 11 mi, ~17m 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	3h 27m	3h 41m	3h 42m
Total cost (1 person)	$71	$125	$13
Carbon footprint	65 kg CO₂	35 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: 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 DeRidder, LA to Central, LA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.