Drive or Fly: Westwego, LA to Baton Rouge, 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–BTR. At 81 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 41m

Distance

81 mi

Total Cost

$53

CO2

33 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$18

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

2h 33m

9m in the air

Air Distance

73 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

19 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Westwego, LA → MSY 14m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 9m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BTR → Baton Rouge, LA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Westwego, LA MSY — Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport 10 mi, ~14m drive

Baton Rouge, LA BTR — Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport 7 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MSY and BTR. 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

2h 46m

1h 6m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

5 kg

Route

City of New Orleans

Door-to-Door Timeline

Westwego, LA → New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 66m

Arrival 10m

Hammond Amtrak Station → Baton Rouge, LA 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $9) $9

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

Stations

From New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal 0 mi, ~30m drive

To Hammond Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~4/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 4 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

2h 47m

1h 22m on road

Total Cost

CO2

5 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Westwego, LA → New Orleans Bus Station (NOD6) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 82m

Arrival 10m

Baton Rouge Bus Station (BTR6) → Baton Rouge, LA 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $8) $8

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

Stations

From NOD6 — New Orleans Bus Station 0 mi, ~30m drive

To BTR6 — Baton Rouge Bus Station 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~21/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

− 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	1h 41m	2h 33m	2h 46m	2h 47m
Total cost (1 person)	$53	$123	$9	$8
Carbon footprint	33 kg CO₂	19 kg CO₂	5 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: 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 Westwego, LA to Baton Rouge, LA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.