Drive or Fly: New Iberia, LA to Leesville, 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–AEX. At 158 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 4m

Distance

158.3 mi

Total Cost

$70

CO2

64 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$35

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 46m

14m in the air

Air Distance

116 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

30 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

New Iberia, LA → LFT 26m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 14m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

AEX → Leesville, LA 66m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

New Iberia, LA LFT — Lafayette Regional Airport 17 mi, ~26m drive

Leesville, LA AEX — Alexandria International Airport 44 mi, ~66m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between LFT 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

4h 23m

1h 59m on rail

Total Cost

$17

CO2

5 kg

Route

Sunset Limited

Door-to-Door Timeline

New Iberia, LA → New Iberia Amtrak 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 119m

Arrival 10m

Lake Charles → Leesville, LA 94m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $17) $17

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

Stations

From New Iberia Amtrak 0 mi, ~10m drive

To Lake Charles 63 mi, ~94m 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 34m

2h 55m on road

Total Cost

$12

CO2

6 kg

Route

Greyhound US1170s

Door-to-Door Timeline

New Iberia, LA → New Iberia (Texaco) (NIB6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 175m

Arrival 10m

Boyce, LA (BOY6) → Leesville, LA 64m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $12) $12

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

Stations

From NIB6 — New Iberia (Texaco) 1 mi, ~10m drive

To BOY6 — Boyce, LA 43 mi, ~64m 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 4m	3h 46m	4h 23m	4h 34m
Total cost (1 person)	$70	$125	$17	$12
Carbon footprint	64 kg CO₂	30 kg CO₂	5 kg CO₂	6 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

158.3 mi 3h 3m

via I 49; US 167, LA 28, LA 182

Shortest (+8 min)

157.4 mi 3h 12m

via I 10; US 167, US 171, LA 182

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