Drive or Fly: Melville, LA to Bossier City, 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 LFT–SHV. At 190 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 3m

Distance

190.5 mi

Total Cost

$77

CO2

77 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$42

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

21m in the air

Air Distance

172 mi

Total Cost

$127

CO2

44 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Melville, LA → LFT 55m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 21m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SHV → Bossier City, LA 11m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Airports

Melville, LA LFT — Lafayette Regional Airport 37 mi, ~55m drive

Bossier City, LA SHV — Shreveport Regional Airport 7 mi, ~11m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between LFT and SHV. 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

4h 30m

3h 25m on road

Total Cost

$18

CO2

10 kg

Route

Greyhound 2221

Door-to-Door Timeline

Melville, LA → Opelousas (Texaco) (OLP6) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 205m

Arrival 10m

Shreveport Bus Station (SHR6) → Bossier City, LA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $18) $18

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

Stations

From OLP6 — Opelousas (Texaco) 20 mi, ~30m drive

To SHR6 — Shreveport Bus Station 2 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	3h 3m	3h 27m	4h 30m
Total cost (1 person)	$77	$127	$18
Carbon footprint	77 kg CO₂	44 kg CO₂	10 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 Melville, LA to Bossier City, LA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.