Drive or Fly: DeRidder, LA to Lafayette, 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 LCH–LFT. At 116 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 15m

Distance

116.6 mi

Total Cost

$61

CO2

47 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$26

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 35m

10m in the air

Air Distance

87 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

22 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

DeRidder, LA → LCH 75m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 10m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

LFT → Lafayette, LA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

DeRidder, LA LCH — Lake Charles Regional Airport 50 mi, ~75m drive

Lafayette, LA LFT — Lafayette Regional Airport 2 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between LCH and LFT. 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

3h 23m

1h 43m on rail

Total Cost

$14

CO2

7 kg

Route

Sunset Limited

Door-to-Door Timeline

DeRidder, LA → Lake Charles 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 103m

Arrival 10m

Lafayette Amtrak Station → Lafayette, LA 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $14) $14

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

Stations

From Lake Charles 0 mi, ~30m drive

To Lafayette Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~30m 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

2h 40m

1h 15m on road

Total Cost

CO2

7 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

DeRidder, LA → Lake Charles (City Point) (2LS) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 75m

Arrival 10m

Lafayette Transit System (LAF6) → Lafayette, LA 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $8) $8

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

Stations

From 2LS — Lake Charles (City Point) 0 mi, ~30m drive

To LAF6 — Lafayette Transit System 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~6/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 6 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	2h 15m	3h 35m	3h 23m	2h 40m
Total cost (1 person)	$61	$123	$14	$8
Carbon footprint	47 kg CO₂	22 kg CO₂	7 kg CO₂	7 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 21, 2026.

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