Drive or Fly: New Orleans, LA to Ruston, 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–MLU. At 296 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

4h 41m

Distance

296 mi

Total Cost

$101

CO2

120 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$66

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 39m

28m in the air

Air Distance

233 mi

Total Cost

$184

CO2

59 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

New Orleans, LA → MSY 18m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 28m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MLU → Ruston, LA 53m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $129) $129

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

New Orleans, LA MSY — Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport 12 mi, ~18m drive

Ruston, LA MLU — Monroe Regional Airport 35 mi, ~53m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MSY and MLU. 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

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

9h 10m

8h 25m on road

Total Cost

$26

CO2

14 kg

Route

Greyhound US1170s

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 505m

Arrival 10m

Ruston (Tech Mart) (RST6) → Ruston, LA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $26) $26

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

Stations

From NOD6 — New Orleans Bus Station 1 mi, ~10m drive

To RST6 — Ruston (Tech Mart) 1 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	4h 41m	3h 39m	9h 10m
Total cost (1 person)	$101	$184	$26
Carbon footprint	120 kg CO₂	59 kg CO₂	14 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 12, 2026.

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