How far is Gretna, LA from Metairie, LA?

The driving distance from Gretna, LA to Metairie, LA is about 12.9 miles (20.7 km), with a travel time of about 00h 22m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 7.6 miles (12.3 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 00h 44m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This is an easy same-day return drive. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
12.86 mi
00h 22m
Flight
7.62 mi
12.26 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Gretna.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
7.62 mi
Kilometers
12.26 km
Flight Time

Driving Distance

Road route
12.86 mi
Kilometers
20.7 km
Drive Time
00h 22m

Gas Cost Calculator

Leave and Arrive Planner

Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.

Drive time stays fixed at 00h 22m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Metairie
Sat, May 30, 1:28 AM CDT
Return by in Gretna
Sat, May 30, 1:50 AM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Gretna
2026-05-30T01:06
Arrive Metairie
Sat, May 30, 1:28 AM CDT
Route Timing
00h 22m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:22 AM to 7:22 PM CDT

This is a short drive, so your comfort window is wide. Traffic and current weather matter more than the clock.

Leave by
7:46 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Gretna
10:00 PM CDT
Flexible departure

You are leaving earlier than the recommended window, which gives you extra margin for breaks and traffic.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
New Orleans
LA

The most populous city in Louisiana and the center of the New Orleans metropolitan area.

From Gretna
5.3 mi
00h 11m
To Metairie
7.5 mi
00h 11m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
87°F
Saturday

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Sat, May 30 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
0 to 5 mph W
Destination
88°F
Saturday

Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Sat, May 30 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
5 mph W

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Gretna and Metairie.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Gretna and Metairie.

  1. 1

    Start on Richard Street

    52 m · 13 sec · Richard Street

  2. 2

    Turn left onto 11th Street

    93 m · 15 sec · 11th Street

  3. 3

    Turn right onto Evergreen Drive

    986 ft · 51 sec · Evergreen Drive

  4. 4

    At the end of the road, turn left onto Westbank Expressway

    2019 ft · 46 sec · Westbank Expressway

  5. 5

    Take the ramp straight toward US 90 Business East

    1530 ft · 37 sec

  6. 6

    Merge slight left onto Westbank Expressway

    2.1 mi · 3 min · Westbank Expressway

  7. 7

    Continue on Crescent City Connection

    1 km · 58 sec · Crescent City Connection

  8. 8

    Continue on Pontchartrain Expressway

    2.9 mi · 3 min · Pontchartrain Expressway

  9. 9

    Take the exit slight right toward US 61: Airline Drive, Tulane Avenue, Carrollton Avenue

    845 ft · 18 sec

  10. 10

    Keep slight left to continue on US 61 North: Airline Drive

    1.4 km · 2 min

  11. 11

    Continue on Airline Drive

    2.3 mi · 5 min · Airline Drive

  12. 12

    Take the exit slight right

    82 m · 8 sec

  13. 13

    Turn right onto North Labarre Road

    2052 ft · 1 min · North Labarre Road

  14. 14

    Continue on Labarre Drive

    1446 ft · 1 min · Labarre Drive

  15. 15

    Turn left onto Fagot Avenue

    82 m · 12 sec · Fagot Avenue

  16. 16

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Fagot Avenue

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Gretna and Metairie.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Turn-heavy local drive

The route has frequent decision points for its length, so lane choice and turn timing will matter more than cruising speed.

Directions
16 steps
5 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
4
1 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
124 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Pontchartrain Expressway
2.95 mi · 23%
Westbank Expressway
2.51 mi · 19%
Airline Drive
2.35 mi · 18%
US 61 North
0.85 mi · 7%
Crescent City Connection
0.64 mi · 5%
North Labarre Road
0.39 mi · 3%
Longest Stretch

Pontchartrain Expressway

Continue on Pontchartrain Expressway

2.95 mi · 00h 03m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

A short regional drive

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

Drive Time
00h 22m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
00h 44m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+5.3 mi
7.6 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
New Orleans
00h 11m from Gretna
Leave By
7:46 PM CDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms leaving Gretna and Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Metairie.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Gretna to Metairie?

The road trip is about 12.9 miles (20.7 km) and usually takes 00h 22m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

What is the halfway point on this route?

New Orleans is a useful midpoint, sitting about 5.3 miles from Gretna and 7.5 miles from Metairie.

How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?

The direct path is about 7.6 miles (12.3 km), while the road route adds roughly 5.3 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.

When is the best time to leave for this route?

A good departure window is usually 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 7:46 PM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $1.70 one way or $3.41 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 4 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Chance Showers And Thunderstorms around Gretna and Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Metairie.

Stop Ideas Near New Orleans

Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around New Orleans, so nearby transit and meeting points are shown instead.
Reviewed stop coverage is still thin around this midpoint, so practical transit waypoints are shown on the right.

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to New Orleans.

UNK

New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal

1 mi away
1001 Loyola Avenue
RAIL

Slidell

46 mi away
1827 Front Street
RAIL

Hammond

72 mi away
404 N.E. Railroad Ave.
RAIL

Picayune

74 mi away
US 11 at Tate Street

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Gretna and Metairie. Straight-line distance: 7.62 mi (12.26 km).

Gretna

#1 Gretna

Suburb city of New Orleans

Population17,615
Coordinates29.9146500, -90.0539600
Altitude0
CountryUnited States
Metairie

#2 Metairie

The most populous suburb of New Orleans, Louisiana.

Population138,481
Coordinates29.9840900, -90.1528500
Altitude1
CountryUnited States
Start: Richard Street (-90.054338, 29.914415)
End: Avenue (-90.152849, 29.984102)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 21 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 25m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 19m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 15m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 12m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 11m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 09m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.45 gal
1.72 L · about $1.70
Round trip
$3.41
0.9 gal · 3.44 L
Estimated CO2
4 kg one way
Round trip: 8 kg / 18 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.79 $1.70 $3.41
Mid-grade $4.26 $1.92 $3.83
Premium $4.63 $2.08 $4.16
Diesel $5.42 $2.44 $4.87

Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.

Prices in Louisiana · May 30, 2026

There is no time difference between Gretna and Metairie. The current time is 01:06:19.

Distance to Other Cities

Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.