Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) is connected to New Orleans and the surrounding region by a layered network of ground transportation. The right choice depends on how many people are traveling, how much luggage you have, what time of day it is, and whether your destination is downtown or the suburbs.
Uber & Lyft
Uber and Lyft pick up at the dedicated rideshare lot adjacent to the terminal — a 4-minute walk via covered walkway. Pickup surcharge $2.50.
On-airport facility
On-airport rental cars are in the Long-Term Garage; counters in the terminal arrivals area.
Rail & bus to New Orleans
Jefferson Transit Route E2 connects MSY with downtown New Orleans for $2.00.
Hotel & intercity
Airport Shuttle New Orleans runs shared-ride vans to French Quarter hotels for $24 one way.
Rideshare (Uber and Lyft) at MSY
Uber and Lyft pick up at the dedicated rideshare lot adjacent to the terminal — a 4-minute walk via covered walkway. Pickup surcharge $2.50.
Surge pricing is common during weather delays and immediately after large arrival banks. If your phone shows surge pricing of 1.8x or higher, the rental-car shuttle for a same-day return is often a faster total-cost path than waiting for surge to drop.
Rental cars
On-airport rental cars are in the Long-Term Garage; counters in the terminal arrivals area. Loyalty members of National (Emerald Club), Hertz (Gold Plus Rewards), Avis (Preferred), and Enterprise (Plus) usually skip the counter entirely. National's choose-any-car-on-the-aisle model is the fastest path through the facility for travelers who do not need a specific vehicle class.
Public transit to and from MSY
Jefferson Transit Route E2 connects MSY with downtown New Orleans for $2.00. For more on US airport transit options, see the ground transport overview.
Hotel and parking shuttles
Airport Shuttle New Orleans runs shared-ride vans to French Quarter hotels for $24 one way. Free shuttles run on each operator's own loop, typically every 10 to 20 minutes during the day and every 30 minutes overnight. If you do not see your hotel's shuttle, call the front desk before assuming you have missed it — schedules vary on weekends and holidays.
Cell phone waiting area
If somebody is picking you up in a private vehicle, ask them to wait at the cell phone waiting lot until you have your luggage and are at the curb. Pulling to the arrivals curb early at MSY forces the driver into the recirculation loop, which can add 15 to 25 minutes on a busy day.
Accessibility
All ground transportation options at MSY are required to provide equivalent service for travelers with disabilities. Accessible taxis are dispatched on request from the taxi stand. Public transit is wheelchair accessible. Hotel shuttles are required to provide wheelchair accommodation — call the hotel ahead to confirm a lift-equipped vehicle is on your departure-window schedule.
Parking is the alternative
If you are driving yourself, see the MSY parking guide for on-site garages, off-site lots, and a comparison of every published rate.