Drive or Fly: Gretna, LA to Hammond, 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 62 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 7m

Distance

62.8 mi

Total Cost

$49

CO2

25 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$14

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 23m

6m in the air

Air Distance

48 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

12 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Gretna, LA → MSY 21m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 6m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MSY → Hammond, LA 56m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

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

Hammond, LA MSY — Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport 37 mi, ~56m 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

2h 6m

1h 6m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

City of New Orleans

Door-to-Door Timeline

Gretna, LA → New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 66m

Arrival 10m

Hammond Amtrak Station → Hammond, LA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $9) $9

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

Stations

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

To Hammond Amtrak Station 0 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 22m

1h on road

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Greyhound US1172s

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 60m

Arrival 10m

Reserve (LLL6) → Hammond, LA 47m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $3) $3

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

Stations

From NOD6 — New Orleans Bus Station 3 mi, ~10m drive

To LLL6 — Reserve 32 mi, ~47m 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 7m	3h 23m	2h 6m	2h 22m
Total cost (1 person)	$49	$122	$9	$3
Carbon footprint	25 kg CO₂	12 kg CO₂	3 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: 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 Gretna, LA to Hammond, LA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.