Drive or Fly: Metairie, LA to Broussard, 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 147 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

3h 13m

Distance

147.2 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 35m

15m in the air

Air Distance

124 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

32 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Metairie, LA → MSY 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 15m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

AEX → Broussard, LA 70m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Metairie, LA MSY — Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport 7 mi, ~10m drive

Broussard, LA AEX — Alexandria International Airport 47 mi, ~70m 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 23m

3h 24m on rail

Total Cost

$23

CO2

7 kg

Route

Sunset Limited

Door-to-Door Timeline

Metairie, LA → New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 204m

Arrival 10m

Lafayette Amtrak Station → Broussard, LA 69m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $23) $23

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

Stations

From New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal 5 mi, ~10m drive

To Lafayette Amtrak Station 46 mi, ~69m 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

4h 23m

3h 15m on road

Total Cost

$14

CO2

7 kg

Route

Greyhound 2221

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 195m

Arrival 10m

Opelousas (Texaco) (OLP6) → Broussard, LA 33m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $14) $14

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

Stations

From NOD6 — New Orleans Bus Station 5 mi, ~10m drive

To OLP6 — Opelousas (Texaco) 22 mi, ~33m 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 13m	3h 35m	5h 23m	4h 23m
Total cost (1 person)	$68	$125	$23	$14
Carbon footprint	59 kg CO₂	32 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 Metairie, LA to Broussard, LA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.