Drive or Fly: Ruston, LA to Hammond, 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 MLU–MSY. At 249 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 48m

Distance

249.5 mi

Total Cost

$90

CO2

101 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$55

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 12m

23m in the air

Air Distance

189 mi

Total Cost

$183

CO2

48 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Ruston, LA → MLU 53m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 23m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MSY → Hammond, LA 56m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $128) $128

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Hammond, LA MSY — Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport 37 mi, ~56m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MLU 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

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	4h 48m	4h 12m
Total cost (1 person)	$90	$183
Carbon footprint	101 kg CO₂	48 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

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 16, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

249.5 mi 4h 48m

via US 425, I 20, US 98

Alternative (+19 min)

277.4 mi 5h 7m

via I 55; US 51, I 20, I 20; US 80

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