Drive or Fly: Metairie, LA to Livingston, 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–BTR. At 66 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 21m

Distance

66.9 mi

Total Cost

$50

CO2

27 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$15

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 52m

6m in the air

Air Distance

50 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

13 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Metairie, LA → MSY 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 6m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BTR → Livingston, LA 36m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

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

Livingston, LA BTR — Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport 24 mi, ~36m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MSY and BTR. 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

2h 22m

1h 6m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

City of New Orleans

Door-to-Door Timeline

Metairie, LA → New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 66m

Arrival 10m

Hammond Amtrak Station → Livingston, LA 26m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $9) $9

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

Stations

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

To Hammond Amtrak Station 17 mi, ~26m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~4/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 4 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

2h 50m

1h 40m on road

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

Greyhound US1172s

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 100m

Arrival 10m

Gonzales (Cabela's) (GZS6) → Livingston, LA 35m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $6) $6

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

Stations

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

To GZS6 — Gonzales (Cabela's) 24 mi, ~35m 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	1h 21m	2h 52m	2h 22m	2h 50m
Total cost (1 person)	$50	$122	$9	$6
Carbon footprint	27 kg CO₂	13 kg CO₂	3 kg CO₂	3 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 15, 2026.

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