Fly to New Orleans for as low as $117
Right now there are multiple U.S. cities with flights to New Orleans for less than $200.
Southwest has routes from Chicago, Dallas, Miami and Denver, while JetBlue has options from New York and Boston.
These options are all for the most basic fare offered by each airline, but they are discounted by up to 65% off their typical price. The longest route is from Boston, coming at just under four hours. Sweet deals and short flights — the ideal combination.
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Deal basics
Airlines: Southwest and JetBlue.
Routes: Chicago, Miami, Denver, Dallas, New York and Boston to New Orleans.
How to book: Directly through the airlines' sites.
Travel dates: August to December, depending on the route.
Book by: Friday for Boston and New York, or one to two days for the rest of the routes.
Related: Weekend getaway: Heading to the Final Four in New Orleans
Sample flights
There are a lot of routes to Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) with discounted flights right now. We've just rounded up the best deals from bigger airports as a sample.
If you live in the South near a smaller international airport like Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) or Charleston International Airport (CHS), it may be worth checking Google Flights to see if you come across any cheaper tickets in the next few months, because we've noticed some of those too.
Some of the most notable routes to MSY that we've found include:
- John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), starting at $117.
- Dallas Love Field (DAL), starting at $138.
- Midway International Airport (MDW), starting at $138.
- Miami International Airport (MIA), starting at $138.
- Denver International Airport (DEN), starting at $158.
- Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), starting at $158.
Boston Logan International Airport (BOS), starting at $177.
This JFK option is a nonstop JetBlue flight.
JetBlue does not include baggage in its Blue Basic fare, only permitting a single personal item (like a backpack) per person. If you want a bigger carry-on you'll pay $65 to have it checked at the gate if it's your first bag.
On the other hand, Southwest includes two checked bags even with its most basic tickets.
Most of the routes in this deal are operated by Southwest, like this option from Miami for $138.
Here's another option from Denver starting at $158.
The Boston flight on JetBlue is the most expensive option in this roundup. Also, if you plan to bring a checked bag that'll add to the price. However, $177 is close to 42% cheaper than usual, so it's still a good deal for those located closer to BOS than any other airport.
Most of the options at these discounted rates are direct flights — which is a godsend this summer. You won't be stressed about the (dare we say it) potential to miss a connection, so you can really relax during your downtime.
Read more: 6 reasons I deliberately planned a 6-hour layover between flights
Maximize your purchase
Don’t forget to use a card that earns bonus points on airfare purchases, such as The Platinum Card® from American Express, which earns 5 points per dollar on airfare booked directly with the airline or through American Express Travel, on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year. The Citi Premier® Card and Chase Sapphire Reserve earn 3 points per dollar on airfare and the American Express® Gold Card also earns 3 points per dollar on airfare (when booked directly with the airline or through Amex Travel). The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card earns 2 points per dollar on travel. Check out this post for more on maximizing airfare purchases.
Bottom line
These prices are hard to come by, especially for flights from this many departure points. New Orleans is a great place to visit, whether it be for the culture or the party life. These discounted flights make it just a little more affordable to see this destination before the year's out.
From Boston, New York, Dallas, Chicago, Miami, Denver and Atlanta to New Orleans for less than $200, we'd add this deal to our list of things to check out ASAP.
Also, if you live in the Northeast, remember that Boston's and New York's deals only last through Friday.
Featured photo by Stevens Fremont/Getty Images.
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How we chose these cards
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Build your loyalty to Delta by applying for the carrier's mid-tier card option, the Delta SkyMiles Platinum card. The annual fee is quickly recouped by the card's travel perks, such as an application credit to Global Entry or TSA Precheck, annual companion certificate and so much more. Plus you can fast-track to elite status simply through card spend.Pros
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- Doesn't make sense if you don't fly Delta
- SkyMiles aren't the most valuable airline currency
- Earn 90,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months.
- Receive a Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year upon renewal of your Card. Payment of the government imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for roundtrip domestic flights (for itineraries with up to four flight segments) is required. Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
- Enjoy your first checked bag free on Delta flights. Plus enjoy Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding and settle into your seat sooner.
- New: Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels.
- Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide including takeout and delivery in the U.S., and at U.S. supermarkets.
- Earn 1X Mile on all other eligible purchases.
- Enjoy a per-visit rate of $50 per person for Card Members and up to two guests to enter the Delta Sky Club when traveling on a Delta flight.
- Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® after you apply through any Authorized Enrollment Provider. If approved for Global Entry, at no additional charge, you will receive access to TSA PreCheck.
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- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- $250 Annual Fee.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees
Rewards Rate
| 3X | Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S. and at U.S. supermarkets. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro Offer
Earn 90,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months.Earn 90,000 Bonus Miles50,000 Bonus MilesAnnual Fee
$250Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO© Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.670-850Excellent/Good
Why We Chose It
Build your loyalty to Delta by applying for the carrier's mid-tier card option, the Delta SkyMiles Platinum card. The annual fee is quickly recouped by the card's travel perks, such as an application credit to Global Entry or TSA Precheck, annual companion certificate and so much more. Plus you can fast-track to elite status simply through card spend.Pros
- Earn bonus Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) and an Medallion Qualifying Dollar (MQD) waiver when you hit specific spending thresholds with your card within a calendar year
- Receive a Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year
- Statement credit for TSA PreCheck/Global Entry fee (up to $100)
- First checked bag free
Cons
- Doesn't make sense if you don't fly Delta
- SkyMiles aren't the most valuable airline currency
- Earn 90,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months.
- Receive a Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year upon renewal of your Card. Payment of the government imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for roundtrip domestic flights (for itineraries with up to four flight segments) is required. Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
- Enjoy your first checked bag free on Delta flights. Plus enjoy Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding and settle into your seat sooner.
- New: Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels.
- Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide including takeout and delivery in the U.S., and at U.S. supermarkets.
- Earn 1X Mile on all other eligible purchases.
- Enjoy a per-visit rate of $50 per person for Card Members and up to two guests to enter the Delta Sky Club when traveling on a Delta flight.
- Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® after you apply through any Authorized Enrollment Provider. If approved for Global Entry, at no additional charge, you will receive access to TSA PreCheck.
- Earn up to 20,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) with Status Boost® per year. After you spend $25,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, you can earn 10,000 MQMs up to two times per year, getting you closer to Medallion® Status. MQMs are used to determine Medallion® Status and are different than miles you earn toward flights.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- $250 Annual Fee.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees