Drive time

Can you drive from Dallas to New Orleans in one day?

Yes. It is about 8 hours of pure driving on I-20, I-49 and I-10, and roughly 10 h 30 min door to door once you add real breaks and a meal. Start early and you arrive with daylight to spare.

Distance

520 miles

Driving only

8 h

Breaks and meals

2 h 30 min

Door to door

10 h 30 min

How we count the time

A 15-minute stop every two hours for fuel, restrooms and a stretch, plus a 45-minute sit-down meal every four hours. Traffic, weather and construction come on top, so check the live route before you leave.

If you want to break it up

Alexandria sits 310 miles in, about 4 h 46 min from Dallas, leaving 210 miles for the next morning. It is the most even split on the route and has plenty of hotels near the highway.

More on this drive

• Full drive guide
• Best places to stop
• Gas cost
• Driving it in an EV