Drive or Fly: Metairie Terrace, LA to Vivian, 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–SHV. At 351 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

6h 36m

Distance

351.5 mi

Total Cost

$113

CO2

142 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$78
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 32m

36m in the air

Air Distance

301 mi

Total Cost

$187

CO2

77 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Metairie Terrace, LA → MSY 10m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 36m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
SHV → Vivian, LA 46m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $132) $132
Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Metairie Terrace, LA MSY — Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport 6 mi, ~10m drive
Vivian, LA SHV — Shreveport Regional Airport 31 mi, ~46m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MSY and SHV. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 3h 4m compared to driving
+ Less physical fatigue
+ Predictable arrival time
Airport security and check-in overhead
No scheduled commercial flights found for this route
May need a rental car at destination
Luggage fees and restrictions
Less flexibility for stops along the way

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

8h 3m

6h 45m on road

Total Cost

$31

CO2

16 kg

Route

Greyhound 2221

Door-to-Door Timeline

Metairie Terrace, LA → New Orleans Bus Station (NOD6) 10m
Boarding 15m
Bus ride 405m
Arrival 10m
Shreveport Bus Station (SHR6) → Vivian, LA 43m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $31) $31

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

Stations

From NOD6 — New Orleans Bus Station 6 mi, ~10m drive
To SHR6 — Shreveport Bus Station 29 mi, ~43m 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 6h 36m 3h 32m 8h 3m
Total cost (1 person) $113 $187 $31
Carbon footprint 142 kg CO2 77 kg CO2 16 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 Metairie Terrace, LA to Vivian, LA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.