Drive or Fly: Oakdale, 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 AEX–MLU. At 131 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

2h 48m

Distance

131.1 mi

Total Cost

$64

CO2

53 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$29

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

4h 1m

14m in the air

Air Distance

118 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

30 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Oakdale, LA → AEX 54m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 14m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MLU → Ruston, LA 53m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

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

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between AEX 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

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

3h 32m

2h on road

Total Cost

CO2

5 kg

Route

Greyhound US1170s

Door-to-Door Timeline

Oakdale, LA → Boyce, LA (BOY6) 57m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 120m

Arrival 10m

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

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $9) $9

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

Stations

From BOY6 — Boyce, LA 38 mi, ~57m 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	2h 48m	4h 1m	3h 32m
Total cost (1 person)	$64	$125	$9
Carbon footprint	53 kg CO₂	30 kg CO₂	5 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 Oakdale, LA to Ruston, LA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.