Drive or Fly: Kenner, LA to Bunkie, 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–AEX. At 146 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

3h 9m

Distance

146.9 mi

Total Cost

$68

CO2

59 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$33
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 16m

16m in the air

Air Distance

133 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

34 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Kenner, LA → MSY 10m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 16m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
AEX → Bunkie, LA 50m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Kenner, LA MSY — Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport 1 mi, ~10m drive
Bunkie, LA AEX — Alexandria International Airport 34 mi, ~50m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MSY and AEX. 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 36m

3h 24m on rail

Total Cost

$23

CO2

7 kg

Route

Sunset Limited

Door-to-Door Timeline

Kenner, LA → New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal 15m
Boarding 30m
Train ride 204m
Arrival 10m
Lafayette Amtrak Station → Bunkie, LA 77m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $23) $23

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

Stations

From New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal 10 mi, ~15m drive
To Lafayette Amtrak Station 51 mi, ~77m 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

5h 25m

4h 10m on road

Total Cost

$13

CO2

7 kg

Route

Greyhound US1170s

Door-to-Door Timeline

Kenner, LA → New Orleans International Airport (NOA6) 10m
Boarding 15m
Bus ride 250m
Arrival 10m
Opelousas (Texaco) (OLP6) → Bunkie, LA 40m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $13) $13

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

Stations

From NOA6 — New Orleans International Airport 1 mi, ~10m drive
To OLP6 — Opelousas (Texaco) 27 mi, ~40m 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 3h 9m 3h 16m 5h 36m 5h 25m
Total cost (1 person) $68 $125 $23 $13
Carbon footprint 59 kg CO2 34 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 Kenner, LA to Bunkie, LA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.