Drive or Fly: Golden Meadow, 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 MSY–MSY. At 77 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 26m

Distance

77.4 mi

Total Cost

$52

CO2

31 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$17

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 27m

5m in the air

Air Distance

41 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

11 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Golden Meadow, LA → MSY 64m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 5m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MSY → New Orleans, LA 18m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Golden Meadow, LA MSY — Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport 42 mi, ~64m drive

New Orleans, LA MSY — Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport 12 mi, ~18m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MSY 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

2h 29m

1h 10m on road

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Greyhound US1170s

Door-to-Door Timeline

Golden Meadow, LA → Raceland (Shell) (REC6) 44m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 70m

Arrival 10m

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

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $4) $4

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

Stations

From REC6 — Raceland (Shell) 29 mi, ~44m drive

To NOD6 — New Orleans Bus Station 1 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	Bus
Door-to-door time	1h 26m	3h 27m	2h 29m
Total cost (1 person)	$52	$122	$4
Carbon footprint	31 kg CO₂	11 kg CO₂	2 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 16, 2026.

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