Drive or Fly: Laplace, LA to Opelousas, 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–LFT. At 112 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 19m

Distance

112.9 mi

Total Cost

$60

CO2

46 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$25

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 8m

12m in the air

Air Distance

101 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

26 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Laplace, LA → MSY 21m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 12m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

LFT → Opelousas, LA 35m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

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

Opelousas, LA LFT — Lafayette Regional Airport 23 mi, ~35m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MSY and LFT. 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 14m

3h 24m on rail

Total Cost

$23

CO2

7 kg

Route

Sunset Limited

Door-to-Door Timeline

Laplace, LA → New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal 38m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 204m

Arrival 10m

Lafayette Amtrak Station → Opelousas, LA 32m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $23) $23

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

Stations

From New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal 26 mi, ~38m drive

To Lafayette Amtrak Station 22 mi, ~32m 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	2h 19m	3h 8m	5h 14m
Total cost (1 person)	$60	$124	$23
Carbon footprint	46 kg CO₂	26 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 — 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.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

112.9 mi 2h 18m

via I 10, US 190; LA 1, LA 415

Alternative (+8 min)

128.1 mi 2h 27m

via I 10, I 49; US 167

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Laplace, LA to Opelousas, LA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.