Drive or Fly: Maryland, LA to Carlyss, 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 BTR–LCH. At 146 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

2h 49m

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

2h 40m

16m in the air

Air Distance

134 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

34 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Maryland, LA → BTR 10m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 16m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
LCH → Carlyss, LA 14m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Maryland, LA BTR — Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport 2 mi, ~10m drive
Carlyss, LA LCH — Lake Charles Regional Airport 10 mi, ~14m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BTR and LCH. 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 45m

1h 53m on road

Total Cost

$13

CO2

7 kg

Route

FlixBus 2211

Door-to-Door Timeline

Maryland, LA → Baton Rouge Bus Station (BTR6) 10m
Boarding 15m
Bus ride 113m
Arrival 10m
Lake Charles (City Point) (2LS) → Carlyss, LA 17m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $13) $13

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

Stations

From BTR6 — Baton Rouge Bus Station 7 mi, ~10m drive
To 2LS — Lake Charles (City Point) 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 2h 49m 2h 40m 2h 45m
Total cost (1 person) $68 $125 $13
Carbon footprint 59 kg CO2 34 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 13, 2026.

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