Cheap flights to New Orleans
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Quick summary
Country
United States
Continent
North America
Airport
MSY
Currency
US dollar (USD)
Time zone
UTC-6
Population
~365,000
Opportunities already detected to New Orleans
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New Orleans airport
An airport about 18 km from downtown, in Kenner
Louis Armstrong New Orleans International
Named after the jazz musician born in the city, it sits in Kenner, about 11 miles (18 km) west of downtown: plan on 25 to 35 minutes by car or shuttle to the French Quarter, depending on traffic.
Taxi, bus and shuttles
A taxi is the quickest option: there is an official flat fare from the airport to the French Quarter and the Central Business District (check the amount on the airport website). An express bus (RTA 202) reaches the centre in roughly half an hour, and many hotels run their own shuttles; check routes and times before you travel.
Distances and times are indicative, cross-checked on Wikivoyage (EN, ES, FR) and Wikipedia, and vary with traffic. We give no fares because they change.
A city like no other
Founded French, built on jazz, still one of a kind
French colonists founded New Orleans on 25 August 1718, under Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville, on a bend of the Mississippi between the river and Lake Pontchartrain. Named after the regent Philippe d'Orléans, it became the capital of Louisiana in 1722 and grew on a grid that is now the French Quarter. The city passed between French and Spanish rule before the United States bought it as part of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, a back-and-forth that still shows in its street names, its architecture and its Creole and Cajun traditions. African, French, Spanish, Caribbean and Native influences still sit side by side in the food, the music and the festivals, and nowhere is that more audible than in jazz, which took shape here in the early 1900s out of ragtime, blues and brass-band traditions.
Not to be missed
The French Quarter and its wrought-iron balconies
Also known as the Vieux Carré, the French Quarter is the original street grid laid out by French colonists, though most of its surviving architecture, the courtyards, the cast and wrought-iron balconies, the pastel facades, dates from Spanish colonial rule after fires in the late 18th century. Jackson Square anchors the neighborhood, framed by St. Louis Cathedral, the oldest Catholic cathedral still in continuous use in the United States, and the French Market. Bourbon Street draws the crowds after dark, but the quieter side streets and the historic jazz clubs reward a slower daytime walk.
To discover
Tremé, Congo Square and Frenchmen Street: the city of jazz
Tremé and Congo Square
One of the oldest Black neighborhoods in the country and the birthplace of jazz and the brass-band tradition. Congo Square, now part of Louis Armstrong Park at its edge, is where enslaved and free people of color gathered on Sundays to play music and dance, a direct root of the rhythms that would become jazz. The Backstreet Cultural Museum traces the traditions of the Mardi Gras Indians and the second lines, the musical parades that regularly wind through the neighborhood.
Frenchmen Street
A few blocks from the French Quarter in the Faubourg Marigny, this is where locals go for live jazz, blues and funk, a stretch of clubs playing music most nights of the week with a far less touristy feel than Bourbon Street.
To discover
The Garden District and the St. Charles streetcar
The St. Charles streetcar line, in operation since 1835, is one of the oldest streetcar lines still running anywhere in the world. It rolls past avenues lined with live oaks and Victorian homes to the Garden District, where wealthy American merchants built columned mansions in the 19th century to rival, deliberately, the Creole townhouses of the French Quarter downtown. Spanish moss hangs from the oaks along the route, and the pace is noticeably slower than in the Quarter.
Museums
War, Southern art, Louisiana history and Mardi Gras
| Museum | Good to know |
|---|---|
| National WWII Museum | In the Central Business District; it traces the European and Pacific theaters of the Second World War and the city's shipbuilding role. |
| New Orleans Museum of Art | In City Park, Mid-City: the city's main fine arts museum. |
| Ogden Museum of Southern Art | In the Central Business District, devoted to the art of the American South. |
| Cabildo and Presbytère | State history museums on Jackson Square; the Presbytère has a permanent Mardi Gras exhibition. |
| Backstreet Cultural Museum | In Tremé: Mardi Gras Indian, second line and brass band traditions. |
| Mardi Gras World | The workshop where parade floats are built, open to visitors all year. |
Opening hours, closing days and visiting rules change: check the official websites, and plan museums for the hot hours of the afternoon.
Day trips
Bayous, plantations and cemeteries
About 45 minutes from the city, the swamps of Honey Island or Jean Lafitte are explored by motorboat among alligators, bald cypress and Spanish moss hanging from the branches. Along the Great River Road, several plantations can be visited in half a day from New Orleans: Oak Alley for its avenue of centuries-old oaks, Whitney for its work on the memory of slavery, Laura for Creole history. In town, historic cemeteries such as St. Louis No. 1 or No. 3, with their typical Louisiana above-ground tombs, are best seen on guided tours.
Mardi Gras
The world capital of Mardi Gras
Mardi Gras is the festival most identified with the city: parades, floats, costumes and krewes (the organizing clubs) fill the carnival weeks before Lent, peaking on Mardi Gras itself, the day before Ash Wednesday; the date changes every year. It is also when accommodation costs the most and getting around is hardest, so book very early. The Presbytère, on Jackson Square, has a permanent exhibition on its history, and Mardi Gras World lets you see the floats up close outside the season. The Jazz & Heritage Festival (late April and early May) and the French Quarter Festival are the other big spring events.
Food
Creole and Cajun cooking, a cuisine worth the trip on its own
| Dish | What it is |
|---|---|
| Gumbo | A dark roux-based stew with meat or seafood and the "holy trinity" of onion, celery and bell pepper, Louisiana's signature dish. |
| Jambalaya | A one-pot rice dish packed with meat, sausage and/or seafood, a Creole and Cajun staple alike. |
| Po'boy | A sandwich on crusty French bread, classically stuffed with fried shrimp or oysters and dressed with remoulade. |
| Beignets | Square, pillowy fried dough buried in powdered sugar, best paired with chicory coffee, the signature order at Café du Monde. |
Creole cooking is the city's own, born from French, Spanish, African and Caribbean influences and typically built around tomatoes; Cajun cuisine comes from rural Louisiana, brought by French-speaking exiles from Acadia, and leans on rustic one-pot dishes. Both show up on the same menus. For better value, move away from Bourbon Street towards Marigny or Bywater.
Getting around
Walking, streetcars, buses and taxis
The core is walkable: the French Quarter, Faubourg Marigny and Garden District can largely be covered on foot, with the streetcar to fill the gaps. The RTA network includes the Riverfront, Canal Street and St. Charles streetcar lines and buses; a day pass exists, but payment methods and fares change, so check the official website.
After midnight, take a taxi or a ride-hailing car. A car is more of a burden than an asset in the French Quarter and the Central Business District: narrow one-way streets, scarce and costly parking and sometimes poor road surfaces. It becomes useful for the plantations and the bayous. During Mardi Gras, getting around is a challenge: rely on walking and the streetcars.
Budget
A cost of living close to the U.S. average
Prices are comparable to other major U.S. tourist cities: hotels and restaurants in the historic core sit toward the higher end, especially on Bourbon Street and in French Quarter restaurants, with better value a few blocks away. Accommodation prices climb at Mardi Gras, during Jazz Fest and on big event weekends. We give no prices here because they vary by season.
Practical
Entry rules, tipping and common sense
Entering the United States
Rules depend on your nationality: many travelers must obtain an ESTA authorization before departure, others a visa. Check the requirements and your passport validity on the official U.S. government websites well before you travel.
Tipping
Displayed prices generally do not include service: a tip is customary in restaurants, bars, taxis and for guides; ask about current customs.
Common sense
The French Quarter and the tourist areas are busy, but as in any large city, keep an eye on your belongings, avoid walking alone late at night on deserted streets and ask about areas to avoid. Be extra vigilant during big events.
By length of stay
What to do in New Orleans depending on how long you stay
The essentials
French Quarter, Jackson Square, a jazz club on Frenchmen Street.
Going deeper
The streetcar to the Garden District, Tremé, a museum, a historic cemetery.
Excursions
A swamp tour in the bayous and half a day on the Great River Road, among plantations and Mississippi villages.
When to go
When to visit New Orleans?
Spring
Mardi Gras season (late winter or early spring, depending on the year) and the Jazz & Heritage Festival, with pleasant temperatures before summer humidity sets in: widely considered the best time to visit.
Summer
Hot and heavily humid, with a mean of about 29 degrees C in August (the heat index is higher) and frequent showers: the toughest season to visit comfortably, unless you go out early and retreat to air-conditioning in the afternoon.
Autumn
Hurricane season runs from June to November, peaking in late summer and early autumn: check forecasts before you travel and consider travel insurance. October is typically the driest month.
Winter
Mild and comparatively dry, with a January mean of about 12 degrees C and the odd cold snap: a good option for sightseeing without the heat.
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FAQ
Frequently asked questions about flights to New Orleans
What is New Orleans' airport and how do I get downtown?
Louis Armstrong New Orleans International (MSY), in Kenner, about 11 miles (18 km) from downtown and the French Quarter (25 to 35 minutes depending on traffic). A flat-fare taxi is simplest; an express bus and hotel shuttles also run, so check locally.
When is the best time to visit New Orleans?
Spring, before the humid heat, and the mild winter are the most pleasant. Summer is hot and humid, and hurricane season runs from June to November; October is the driest month.
Should I visit during Mardi Gras?
It's the most festive time of year, but also the busiest and most expensive for accommodation. The rest of spring offers a calmer mood with equally pleasant weather.
Is New Orleans expensive?
Prices are close to those of other major U.S. tourist cities: fairly high in the French Quarter, more affordable a few blocks away, with clear rises during big events.
How many days should I spend in New Orleans?
Two to three days for the essentials, four to five with a swamp tour and half a day on the Great River Road.
How do I get around New Orleans?
On foot in the core, by streetcar (St. Charles, Canal Street, Riverfront), by bus, or by taxi or ride-hailing. A car is mostly useful for the plantations and the bayous.
What should I eat in New Orleans?
Gumbo, jambalaya, a po'boy and beignets at Café du Monde: Creole and Cajun cooking is a reason to travel on its own.
Do I need a visa or an ESTA to visit New Orleans?
Depending on your nationality, an ESTA authorization or a visa may be required. Check the conditions on the official U.S. government websites before you travel.
How long is a flight to New Orleans from Europe?
Plan on about 10 to 11 hours in the air, often with a connection that lengthens the trip; some direct services run seasonally, so check.
Is New Orleans a good base for exploring Louisiana?
Yes: the bayous, the plantations of the Great River Road and several nature excursions are reachable in half a day from the city.
How much does a flight to New Orleans usually cost?
The price mainly depends on your departure city, the time of year and how far ahead you book. The "opportunities" section above shows real price examples already detected by SniperAir for this destination.
How do I get alerted when a flight to New Orleans drops below my budget?
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