Drive or Fly: Oakdale, LA to Metairie Terrace, 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 AEX–MSY. At 178 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

3h 52m

Distance

178.9 mi

Total Cost

$75

CO2

72 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$40

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 23m

19m in the air

Air Distance

160 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

41 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Oakdale, LA → AEX 54m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 19m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MSY → Metairie Terrace, LA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

Oakdale, LA AEX — Alexandria International Airport 36 mi, ~54m drive

Metairie Terrace, LA MSY — Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport 6 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between AEX and MSY. 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

8h 19m

6h 11m on rail

Total Cost

$38

CO2

11 kg

Route

Sunset Limited

Door-to-Door Timeline

Oakdale, LA → Lake Charles 78m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 371m

Arrival 10m

New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal → Metairie Terrace, LA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $38) $38

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

Stations

From Lake Charles 52 mi, ~78m drive

To New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal 6 mi, ~10m 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

5h 27m

3h 55m on road

Total Cost

$20

CO2

10 kg

Route

Greyhound 2221

Door-to-Door Timeline

Oakdale, LA → Boyce, LA (BOY6) 57m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 235m

Arrival 10m

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

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $20) $20

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

Stations

From BOY6 — Boyce, LA 38 mi, ~57m drive

To NOD6 — New Orleans Bus Station 6 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	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	3h 52m	3h 23m	8h 19m	5h 27m
Total cost (1 person)	$75	$126	$38	$20
Carbon footprint	72 kg CO₂	41 kg CO₂	11 kg CO₂	10 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 13, 2026.

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