Drive or Fly: Metairie, LA to Merryville, 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–LCH. At 247 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 58m

Distance

247.2 mi

Total Cost

$87

CO2

100 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$52

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 46m

25m in the air

Air Distance

209 mi

Total Cost

$183

CO2

53 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Metairie, LA → MSY 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 25m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

LCH → Merryville, LA 71m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $128) $128

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Metairie, LA MSY — Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport 7 mi, ~10m drive

Merryville, LA LCH — Lake Charles Regional Airport 47 mi, ~71m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MSY and LCH. 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

6h 46m

4h 55m on rail

Total Cost

$38

CO2

11 kg

Route

Sunset Limited

Door-to-Door Timeline

Metairie, LA → New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 295m

Arrival 10m

Lake Charles → Merryville, LA 61m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $38) $38

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

Stations

From New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal 5 mi, ~10m drive

To Lake Charles 41 mi, ~61m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~3/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 3 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

5h 5m

3h 28m on road

Total Cost

$21

CO2

11 kg

Route

FlixBus 2211

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 208m

Arrival 10m

Lake Charles (City Point) (2LS) → Merryville, LA 62m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $21) $21

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

Stations

From NOD6 — New Orleans Bus Station 5 mi, ~10m drive

To 2LS — Lake Charles (City Point) 42 mi, ~62m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~14/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	4h 58m	3h 46m	6h 46m	5h 5m
Total cost (1 person)	$87	$183	$38	$21
Carbon footprint	100 kg CO₂	53 kg CO₂	11 kg CO₂	11 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 Jun 3, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

247.2 mi 4h 58m

via I 10, US 171, LA 110

Shortest (+2 min)

233.4 mi 5h 1m

via I 10, US 190, US 190; LA 1

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