New Orleans Flights and Travel Guide

With many nicknames - The City that Care Forgot, the Crescent City, the Big Easy - New Orleans has a style of its own. It is famous for its cuisine, architecture, music (the birthplace of jazz) and its laidback residents. The annual Mardi Gras and the other celebrations and festivals that dot the city's events calendar bring travellers on cheap flights to New Orleans from around the world.

New Orleans was hit hard by Hurricane Katrina in 2005 but its spirit never wavered. The historic, cultural and business districts, as they were on higher ground, came through in good shape and things are now mostly back to normal, but lower-lying residential areas suffered greatly. Just half of the pre-Katrina population is back living in the city, but the welcome for tourists is as great as ever.

The oldest, most visited, part of New Orleans is the French Quarter. This is the place to sample Creole food, listen to the music, visit the museums and antique shops and sink a hurricane, a red rum mixture. Nearby is the Central Business District, an area of hotels, restaurants, museums and galleries.

Faubourg Marigny, a hip, Bohemian neighbourhood, offers a taste of non-touristy nightlife.

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New Orleans Climate

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When to Fly to New Orleans

Peak Season:
The best time to take cheap flights to New Orleans is February through May. Not only is the weather good, but this is when Mardi Gras and Jazz Fest take place.

Shoulder Season:
Early fall is a good time to visit. The summer crowds have melted away and the weather is generally mild.

Off Season:
Summers can be very hot and humid and there is a risk of hurricanes. If you're willing to brave the heat and possible hurricanes, it can be a good time to get discounted flights and accommodations.

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Getting Downtown New Orleans

Once travellers have landed on cheap flights to New Orleans, renting a car is quick and easy. There are also taxi and limousine services. The E-2 Airport Bus (operated by Jefferson Transit) can be boarded on the upper level of the airport. It runs to Tulane and Loyola Avenues in downtown New Orleans, two blocks from Canal Street. Fares are about $2 one-way.

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Getting Around New Orleans

Once travellers have settled in after their cheap flights to New Orleans, walking is one of the best ways of seeing the city. The locals have a word for it. "Hoofing it" means to walk or grab a mule-drawn carriage.

There is a good public transit system. RTA operates buses and streetcars in New Orleans and Kenner, and Jefferson Transit serves Jefferson Parish, including Metairie, Gretna, Terrytown, Harvey, and Marrero. Fares are no more than a couple of dollars.

One of the nicest ways of seeing New Orleans is by streetcar. The streetcar travels between Canal Street and Carrollton and Claiborne Avenues seven days a week. During daylight hours cars operate every ten minutes on weekdays and every 15 minutes at weekends. The fare is $1.25.

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New Orleans Insider Information

• One of New Orleans' best-kept secrets is Julia Street. There are 13 mid-19th-century townhouses at the 600 block called Julia Row or the Thirteen Sisters. It's an arty area hosting regular ArtWalks and is the home of the Contemporary Arts Center too.
• The French Market, the oldest city market in the U.S., sells everything from hot sauce to canned alligator. There's a Community Flea Market that's open seven days a week. At Aunt Sally's Praline Shop you can sample the world-famous Creole pralines.
• One of the most delicious New Orleans traditions is Friday Lunch. It starts about midday and lasts all day. For those lucky enough to get a reservation, Galatoire’s on Bourbon Street cannot be beat. Tables in the first floor dining room are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Arrive about 11.30am and don't forget to wear a jacket.
• Mardi Gras festivities start on January 6 (Twelfth Night or Little Christmas) and last until Shrove Tuesday. For those who arrive on cheap flights to New Orleans at other times of the year, there is Blaine Kern's Mardi Gras World to tour and see the props. The tour includes free King Cake and coffee. King Cake is a Mardi Gras tradition. It's a brioche-style ring cake decorated with green, purple and gold sugar with a small figure of the baby Jesus baked inside.
• Tour the swamps of Bayou Segnette, a Cajun fishing village, 20 minutes from downtown New Orleans. Along the way, the nesting grounds of raccoons, alligators, egrets, and several types of snakes can be spotted.
• Saint Louis Cemetery No 1. is New Orleans' oldest cemetery. It is haunted, it is said, by the ghosts of an old man and by Marie Laveau, the Voodoo Queen of New Orleans.

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New Orleans Airports

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