BlaakLane.com books New Orleans Airport car service at a fixed fare confirmed before you pay. Enter your MSY flight and a French Quarter, CBD or cruise terminal address; the chauffeur tracks the landing, waits 30 minutes free after a domestic arrival and 60 after an international one, and picks you up at the commercial curb Louis Armstrong International designates.
How to book a car from MSY
Choose Louis Armstrong New Orleans International (MSY) in the reservation engine, add your flight number and destination, and pick a vehicle. The price on screen is final, with no meter running on I-10. Child seats are free on request, and cruise passengers can enter the terminal name as the drop-off.
New Orleans trips are driven by a vetted local affiliate from the LimousineWorldwide.Directory network, contracted to the BlaakLane.com written standard. Our 24/7 desk in Toronto dispatches and your confirmation lists the operator, chauffeur and vehicle.
The MSY terminal
MSY moved into a new single terminal on the north side of the airfield in November 2019, replacing the old building. It has two concourses, A and B, joined behind one security checkpoint, and a baggage claim hall on the lower level. International arrivals clear customs inside the terminal before reaching the public side.
| Area | Use | Pickup note |
|---|---|---|
| Concourse A | Several airlines, including international flights | Down to lower-level baggage claim |
| Concourse B | Domestic airlines, including Southwest | Down to lower-level baggage claim |
| Customs hall | International arrivals | Allow time for passport control |
Where does the chauffeur meet me at MSY?
The standard pickup is curbside at the commercial ground transportation area the airport assigns to pre-arranged vehicles, reached from baggage claim by following the Ground Transportation signs. When you have your bags, text or call the chauffeur, who will confirm the lane and pull up from the holding lot.
If you want the chauffeur waiting at the belt with your name on a board, book meet and greet. Add-ons are only available in selected locations, and the booking engine shows whether MSY is covered for your arrival.
Included waiting time
Chauffeurs time pickups to the real landing, not the timetable. Domestic arrivals include 30 minutes of free waiting and international arrivals include 60. After that, waiting is billed in 15-minute blocks.
Drive times from New Orleans Airport
MSY is in Kenner, about 15 miles west of downtown.
| Destination | Usual time | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Central Business District | 20-30 min | I-10 east |
| French Quarter | 25-35 min | Narrow streets; some blocks closed to cars at night |
| Garden District and Uptown | 25-40 min | Via the CBD or Earhart Expressway |
| Ernest N. Morial Convention Center | 25-35 min | Warehouse District |
| Riverfront cruise terminals | 25-35 min | Erato Street and Julia Street terminals |
| Metairie | 10-20 min | Veterans Blvd or I-10 |
| Mandeville and the Northshore | 40-55 min | Lake Pontchartrain Causeway (toll) |
| Baton Rouge | 60-80 min | I-10 west |
| Gulf Coast, Biloxi | 80-100 min | I-10 east into Mississippi |
Cruise transfers from MSY
Many visitors fly into MSY to join a cruise from the Port of New Orleans, whose passenger terminals sit on the Mississippi riverfront next to the Warehouse District. On sailing days, tell us the ship and departure time so the pickup allows for check-in. On disembarkation mornings the chauffeur meets you at the terminal's designated pickup area. See Port of New Orleans cruises and the port's official site.
Buses and other transit
There is no rail link to MSY. RTA runs an Airport Express bus to downtown New Orleans, and Jefferson Parish transit serves Kenner and Metairie. Details are on norta.com. With luggage, a direct car to the hotel door is usually more practical.
Vehicle guide for New Orleans
- Standard Sedan (2/2): a solo trip to a CBD hotel.
- Luxury Executive Sedan (2/2): executives heading to meetings or the convention center.
- Executive First Class Sedan (Maybach) (2/2): VIP arrivals for a Garden District dinner.
- Standard Black SUV (6/6): cruise couples or families with large bags.
- Executive Black SUV (6/6): a small wedding party with luggage.
- Luxury Stretch Limo (8): weddings and celebrations; check street access in the French Quarter first.
- Sprinter Van (12/12): cruise groups sailing together.
- Party Bus (14): bachelor and bachelorette weekends.
- Sprinter Luxury Jet Van (7, carry-on only): an executive team in town for one night.
Compare sizes on the fleet; fare guidance is on rates. Large vehicles cannot enter some French Quarter streets, so the chauffeur may drop you at the nearest permitted corner.
Festivals, parades and road closures
New Orleans closes streets for celebrations often, and these weeks need planning. Mardi Gras falls in February or early March depending on the date of Easter, with parade routes along St. Charles Avenue and Canal Street closing roads for days. The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival usually spans two weekends in late April and early May, and the Essence Festival is usually held around the Fourth of July. Football and major events at the Caesars Superdome also affect downtown traffic. Group moves go through event transportation and are confirmed in writing by a coordinator. Visitor information is at neworleans.com.
Business and convention travel
The Ernest N. Morial Convention Center is one of the largest in the country, and energy, maritime and healthcare firms bring steady corporate traffic. Corporate accounts include monthly invoicing and traveller profiles, and hourly chauffeur service (3-hour minimum) keeps one car available through a day of meetings.
Nearby airports and guides
MSY is the only large commercial airport for the New Orleans area. Travellers routing through Texas can compare Houston Bush and Houston Hobby. The local guide is New Orleans.
Weather, hurricanes and heavy rain
The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30, and New Orleans also sees sudden heavy rain that can flood low-lying streets within an hour. In those conditions the chauffeur avoids known flood-prone underpasses and may take a longer route; the fare stays as booked. If a storm leads airlines to cancel or retime flights, send the desk your new details and we will move the pickup.
Summer heat and humidity are intense from June to September, so expect short, heavy afternoon showers. For outdoor events like Jazz Fest at the Fair Grounds, plan pickups at a set time and place away from the gates, where traffic control allows cars to stop. Day trips along the River Road plantations west of the city or to the Gulf Coast can be booked with hourly service, with a 3-hour minimum.
Departures and cancellation
Allow about 90 minutes before domestic flights and 3 hours before international ones, more during festival weeks. Official airport information is at flymsy.com. Cancellation is free more than 72 hours before pickup; 10% applies within 72 hours, 50% within 48 hours, and 100% within 24 hours or for a no-show.
