Drive or Fly: Oakdale, LA to Houma, 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–MSY. At 172 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 40m

Distance

172.1 mi

Total Cost

$73

CO2

70 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$38

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 9m

17m in the air

Air Distance

143 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

37 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Oakdale, LA → AEX 54m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 17m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MSY → Houma, LA 58m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

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

Houma, LA MSY — Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport 39 mi, ~58m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between AEX 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

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

5h 50m

3h 34m on rail

Total Cost

$30

CO2

9 kg

Route

Sunset Limited

Door-to-Door Timeline

Oakdale, LA → Lake Charles 78m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 214m

Arrival 10m

Schriever Amtrak → Houma, LA 18m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $30) $30

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

Stations

From Lake Charles 52 mi, ~78m drive

To Schriever Amtrak 12 mi, ~18m 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

6h 7m

4h 35m on road

Total Cost

$17

CO2

9 kg

Route

Greyhound US1170s

Door-to-Door Timeline

Oakdale, LA → Boyce, LA (BOY6) 57m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 275m

Arrival 10m

Gray (Terrabone Casino) (HMA6) → Houma, LA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $17) $17

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

Stations

From BOY6 — Boyce, LA 38 mi, ~57m drive

To HMA6 — Gray (Terrabone Casino) 7 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	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	3h 40m	4h 9m	5h 50m	6h 7m
Total cost (1 person)	$73	$126	$30	$17
Carbon footprint	70 kg CO₂	37 kg CO₂	9 kg CO₂	9 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 19, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

172.1 mi 3h 40m

via US 90, I 49; US 167, LA 10

Alternative (+6 min)

174.6 mi 3h 46m

via US 90, LA 10, I 10

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