How far is Raleigh, NC from New Orleans, LA?

The driving distance from Raleigh, NC to New Orleans, LA is about 874.7 miles (1407.7 km), with a travel time of about 16h 19m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 775.1 miles (1247.4 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 32h 39m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM EDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
874.67 mi
16h 19m
Flight
775.12 mi
1247.43 km direct

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Raleigh.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
775.12 mi
Kilometers
1247.43 km
Flight Time
01h 33m

Driving Distance

Road route
874.67 mi
Kilometers
1407.65 km
Drive Time
16h 19m

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 16h 19m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in New Orleans
Tue, Aug 25, 2:26 PM CDT
Return by in Raleigh
Wed, Aug 26, 7:46 AM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Raleigh
2026-08-24T23:06
Arrive New Orleans
Tue, Aug 25, 3:26 PM EDT
Route Timing
16h 19m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM EDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
9:20 PM to 10:50 PM CDT

Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

Leave by
3:20 AM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in Raleigh
8:00 PM EDT
Overnight-style route

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
Newnan
GA

The county seat of Coweta County, Georgia.

From Raleigh
437.1 mi
08h 09m
To New Orleans
437.5 mi
08h 09m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
90°F
Monday

Sunny

Starts
Mon, Aug 24 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
0 to 5 mph N
Destination
95°F
Monday

Sunny then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Mon, Aug 24 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
5 mph NW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Raleigh and New Orleans.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Raleigh and New Orleans.

  1. 1

    Start on East South Street

    571 ft · 27 sec · East South Street

  2. 2

    Turn left onto South Salisbury Street

    955 ft · 33 sec · South Salisbury Street

  3. 3

    Turn sharp right onto Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard

    2691 ft · 57 sec · Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard

  4. 4

    Continue on Western Boulevard

    2.5 mi · 4 min · Western Boulevard

  5. 5

    Turn right onto Gorman Street

    3221 ft · 1 min · Gorman Street

  6. 6

    Continue on Faircloth Street

    2814 ft · 1 min · Faircloth Street

  7. 7

    Turn left onto Wade Avenue

    2281 ft · 51 sec · Wade Avenue

  8. 8

    Continue on Wade Avenue

    3.3 mi · 4 min · Wade Avenue

  9. 9

    Merge slight left onto Dan K. Moore Frwy.

    61.5 mi · 1 hr 11 min · Dan K. Moore Frwy.

  10. 10

    Keep slight right

    7.7 mi · 9 min

  11. 11

    Keep slight left to continue on I 85 Business South, US 29 South, US 70 West: Charlotte

    5.4 mi · 6 min

  12. 12

    Keep slight left

    298.4 mi · 5 hr 38 min

  13. 13

    Keep slight right

    26.7 mi · 32 min

  14. 14

    Continue on James Wendell George Parkway

    2.3 mi · 3 min · James Wendell George Parkway

  15. 15

    Keep slight right to continue on I 85 South: Airport Domestic, Montgomery

    55.5 mi · 1 hr 1 min

  16. 16

    Keep slight left to continue on Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway

    101.2 mi · 1 hr 50 min · Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway

  17. 17

    Keep slight left to continue on I 65 South: Mobile, Day Street

    922 ft · 16 sec

  18. 18

    Keep slight left to continue on I-65 South: Mobile

    1236 ft · 21 sec

  19. 19

    Continue on I 65 South: Mobile

    603 ft · 15 sec

  20. 20

    Merge slight left

    170.3 mi · 3 hr 4 min

  21. 21

    Keep slight right to continue on I 10 West: Mississippi

    1.1 km · 56 sec

  22. 22

    Merge slight left

    102.6 mi · 1 hr 50 min

  23. 23

    Keep slight left

    33.2 mi · 38 min

  24. 24

    Take the exit slight right toward Canal Street, Superdome

    745 ft · 18 sec

  25. 25

    Keep slight right to continue on Cleveland Avenue

    105 m · 13 sec · Cleveland Avenue

  26. 26

    Turn right onto South Claiborne Avenue

    588 ft · 12 sec · South Claiborne Avenue

  27. 27

    Turn left onto Tulane Avenue

    1805 ft · 52 sec · Tulane Avenue

  28. 28

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Tulane Avenue

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Raleigh and New Orleans.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Long-distance drive

This route is long enough that fuel, rest stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single maneuver.

Directions
28 steps
6 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
4
3 merges, 1 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
3.2 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I 85 Business South
330 mi · 38%
I 65 South
171 mi · 19%
I 10 West
136 mi · 16%
Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway
101 mi · 12%
Dan K. Moore Frwy.
69.2 mi · 8%
I 85 South
55.5 mi · 6%
Longest Stretch

I 85 Business South

Keep slight left

298 mi · 05h 38m

Route Summary

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

Trip Read

Better with a longer stop

This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.

Drive Time
16h 19m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
32h 40m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+99.6 mi
775.1 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Newnan
08h 09m from Raleigh
Leave By
3:20 AM EDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving Raleigh and Sunny then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near New Orleans.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Raleigh to New Orleans?

The road trip is about 874.7 miles (1407.7 km) and usually takes 16h 19m in normal driving conditions.

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

This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Newnan is a useful midpoint, sitting about 437.1 miles from Raleigh and 437.5 miles from New Orleans.

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

The direct path is about 775.1 miles (1247.4 km), while the road route adds roughly 99.6 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 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM EDT. Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $122.24 one way or $244.47 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 274.3 kg one way.

Do you cross a time zone on this route?

Yes. There is about a 1 hour time difference between Raleigh and New Orleans, so arrival and return times should be read in local time.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Sunny around Raleigh and Sunny then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near New Orleans.

Stop Ideas Near Newnan

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

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Newnan, 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 Newnan.

RAIL

Peachtree Station

60 mi away
1688 Peachtree Street, NW
RAIL

Anniston

100 mi away
126 West 4th St

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Raleigh and New Orleans. Straight-line distance: 775.12 mi (1247.43 km).

Raleigh

#1 Raleigh

The capital of North Carolina, Raleigh is a major center for business, government, and education.

Population474,414
Coordinates35.7721000, -78.6386100
Altitude96
CountryUnited States
New Orleans

#2 New Orleans

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

Population389,476
Coordinates29.9546500, -90.0750700
Altitude0
CountryUnited States
Start: Raleigh (-78.63861, 35.7721)
End: New Orleans (-90.07507, 29.95465)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 1408 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)29h 08m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)21h 52m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)17h 29m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)14h 34m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)12h 29m
80 mph (129 km/h)10h 54m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
30.86 gal
116.83 L · about $122.24
Round trip
$244.47
61.72 gal · 233.66 L
Estimated CO2
274.3 kg one way
Round trip: 548.5 kg / 1209 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.96 $122.24 $244.47
Mid-grade $4.43 $136.68 $273.36
Premium $4.78 $147.45 $294.90
Diesel $5.62 $173.56 $347.11

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 North Carolina · Aug 25, 2026

Please keep in mind that there is a 1 hour time gap between Raleigh, NC and New Orleans, LA. The current time in Raleigh is 23:06:14, although it is 22:06:14 in New Orleans.

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.