Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport

The Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport sits approximately four feet above sea level, making it the second lowest lying airport in the world for international airports. Prior to the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina, this airport serviced almost ten million travelers annually with most of these travelers flying non-connecting flights. The airport also carries with it one of the best safety records in the United States, with no incidents resulting in a fatality in more than seventeen years.

The Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport operates out of two terminals, East and West. Each terminal is connected with a central ticketing gateway. Attached to the terminals are four concourses, A through D. The airport services 11 commercial airlines including Northwest Airlines, US Airways, Southwest Airlines, Air Tran Airways, American Airlines, ExpressJet Airlines, First Choice Airways, United Airlines, Continental, Delta Airlines, and Jet Blue Airways. The Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport offers 119 flights daily to a total of 38 destinations.

Need Transportation? Call 800-984-4303

The Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport was closed to commercial traffic following the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. The airport resumed commercial flights on September 13, 2005, with four flights operating to Atlanta and Memphis by Delta Airlines and Northwest Airlines, respectively. Slowly, service resumed with limited service by American Airlines, Continental Airlines, and Southwest. Eventually, the remaining carriers resumed operations at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, but returning to the seat capacity levels that were prevalent before Katrina has been a slow process.

As of November 2007, the operations at the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport are holding at 75% of their seat capacity status before Katrina. Eighty-two percent of the daily flights have been fully restored; as well as almost 93% of the domestic hubs served nonstop have been fully restored.

November 2006 saw the opening of a cell phone lot at the airport to make it more convenient for people picking up passengers arriving at the airport to wait for a call from the passenger when ready to be picked up. Later that year, the airport launched a maintenance campaign with a budget of $8 million to improve the environment and clean up the airport for travelers arriving in and departing from New Orleans. This campaign was known as "Music to Your Eyes" and was initiated to make the airport more visitor friendly in an effort to bring more travelers to the New Orleans area. The program included improvements to the lighting system, overall cleanliness, baggage claim, seating capacities, and curbside congestion, as well as designated smoking areas.

Need Transportation? Call 800-984-4303

Post Hurricane Katrina, all international service was suspended as the facility underwent major changes. When the airport reopened, chartered flights from London, Nottingham, UK, and Bournemouth, UK, resumed carrying travelers and tourists into the city for cruise lines and Mardi Gras celebrations.

Air Canada also resumed regularly scheduled flights to Toronto, Canada, as did Grupo TACA for travelers to San Pedro Sula, Honduras. To date, the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport offers 30 nonstop international destinations as part of its recovery initiatives after Hurricane Katrina.

Services for international travelers can be found in the airport's West Terminal. This hub contains a fully enclosed Immigration, FIS, and US Customs facility. Eleven of the West Terminal's 15 gates offer point-to-point access to this area and are equipped to accept foreign travelers from anywhere in the world.

Need Transportation? Call 800-984-4303

If you are traveling either to or from the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport by ground, then you have a variety of options available through facilities at the airport.

Taxis are available at the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport and can take you direct to the Central Business District in New Orleans for a flat fee of $28.00. You will find a convenient taxi hub located for pick-up at the lower level of the airport directly outside the baggage claim. If you have additional baggage, there may be surcharges to your rate. If you have additional passengers in your cab, a rate will be given per passenger, when there are three or more.

Airport shuttle service is also available at the airport to take you to hotels and accommodations in the Central Business District of New Orleans for either a round-trip fee or one-way rate. You are limited to three bags per person and reservations of 48 hours in advance are required. Ground transportation is also available to other areas of Louisiana including the North Shore and Baton Rouge. Rates are dependent upon the distance to the location you are traveling to, and advance reservations are required for any ground transportation. Please check the website of the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport for more information on the ground transportation services offered at the airport.

Need Transportation? Call 800-984-4303

Public transportation is offered at the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport through a variety of means. If you wish to use Amtrak or train services to continue your travels, Union Station is located near the airport for train travel. Although the airport does not provide free transportation from Union Station, you can arrange through the airport's ground transportation services to take you to or from Union Station from the airport.

The Airport Downtown Express Bus is available through the airport services at Entrance #7 on the upper level. This Express Service will take you directly into New Orleans and is located near the Delta counter on the upper level. Check the airport website for more information on fares and schedules when you are booking your flight.

Need Transportation? Call 800-984-4303

The Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport offers a variety of means for parking both short and long term. The airport offers a short-term parking garage for $2 for the first hour. If you are picking up or dropping off passengers at the airport, this is a very cost-efficient option. For domestic flights within the United States, the airport also offers curbside check-in for all airlines. Travelers can be picked up or dropped off on either of the lower or upper level roads. However, you will not be permitted to stop for an extended length of time, nor will you be permitted to leave your vehicle unattended, as curbside check-in is for drop-offs and pick-ups only. Should you happen to leave your vehicle unattended at curbside check-in for any reason, it is subject to being towed.

The Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport also offers a convenient Cell Phone parking lot where you are permitted to park for as long as one hour while waiting for your passenger to call upon their flight's arrival to the airport. Vehicles in this lot must be attended at all times, and if left unoccupied, may be towed away.

The airport has a total of 3,000 short-term parking spots and 2,500 long-term parking spaces in two separate parking garages on site for your convenience, if you are arriving at the airport by road for your flight. The Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport is now maintaining heightened security operations throughout the airport property, and any vehicles entering these garages are subject to vehicle search. See the airport website for more information.

Need Transportation? Call 800-984-4303

There are a wide variety of facilities at the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport that you can take advantage of while you are between flights.

Delta Air Lines offers a Delta Crown Room on Concourse D for its passengers. Also located on Concourse D are a variety of food and snack areas, such as the WH Smith News and Gifts shop, The Grove - Natural Snacks, Lucky Dog, Haagen Dazs, and a CA One Snack Bar.

The airport is also 100% handicapped accessible with no barriers to the disabled or handicapped. For the hearing impaired, there are Telephone Display Devices located throughout the airport, and visual paging is available with Flight Information Display Monitors conveniently located within the airport.

In addition to many ATM machines, you will find a host of financial services available throughout the entire airport, as well. The Whitney National Bank offers a location in the airport where you can obtain cash advances, money orders, and conduct currency exchange, as well as purchase or cash traveler's checks.

A business center is located at the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport through the TravelEx America Business Center, which is open daily during business hours. Here, you can access travel insurance, currency exchange, send a fax, make photocopies, or wire transfers. Business or personal travelers can also take advantage of the free Wi-Fi service in the Business Center which will make your traveling much more convenient if you need to remain in contact with either your home or office. You will also find a United States Post Office in the lobby of the airport; however, this service is available for mail drop-off only.

Smoking is prohibited by state laws in all areas of the terminals, but you can find designated areas outside. You can also access a Visitor's Information Services desk that operates during business hours every day. This service is offered with both bilingual and multi-lingual representatives. The airport also offers a Red Cross Language Bank 24 hours a day for travelers experiencing language barriers.

Need Transportation? Call 800-984-4303

For passengers that are coming into New Orleans to board cruises, the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport offers advance check-in for all luggage. This will ensure that all luggage is transported directly to the cruise ship dock, and this same service is available for travelers returning from a cruise to New Orleans. This service will allow passengers to enjoy some free time in the New Orleans French Quarter and to take in some of the sights of the city while waiting for their cruise. You can find this service on the Lower Level Baggage Claim.

The Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport also offers Baggage Storage at the Lower Level near Baggage Claim 5 and 6. Here, you can store either regular or oversized items, or use the full service cruise ship check-in if you are boarding a cruise.

Need Transportation? Call 800-984-4303

All passengers on any flight going out of Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport are allowed one carry-on bag and one personal bag such as a briefcase, purse, or diaper bag per person. Any other baggage must be checked with your airline when you are checking in for your flight. Any electronic items such as a laptop or cell phone may be subject to additional screening at the time of check in and security clearance. You may be asked to remove your computer from its case in order that it can be X-rayed separately. Please limit the amount of metal objects on your person, and be sure to remove any removable metal objects prior to going through the metal detectors at your check-in security clearance.

Any passenger at the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport will not be permitted to travel without valid photo identification and their boarding pass. For domestic travel within the United States, a passport is not necessary. For all international travelers flying out of the United States, you will be required to have a passport in conjunction with your boarding pass.

Be sure you tend to these details before your departure, as ensuring these details are met will facilitate your screening process and make your check-in at the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport that much faster and more efficient.

Need Transportation? Call 800-984-4303