She was the highest placed of the finalists and eventually went on to win the Miss USA 1996 title, the first former Miss Teen USA delegate to win the title (although her predecessor Shanna Moakler, previously Miss Rhode Island Teen USA 1992, had inherited the Miss USA title from Chelsi Smith the year before. Landry went on to compete in the 1996 Miss Universe pageant held in Las Vegas in May that year. She placed highest on average after the presentation show, and was ranked second in the evening gown and interview events during the final competition, however only placed seventh in swimsuit. She was second going in to the final round of six delegates, but fell to sixth after the judge's panel questions.
Landry was at this time the only former Miss Teen USA delegate to compete at Miss Universe, and until 2000 would have the highest overall score of any delegate to compete in all three competitions.