‘Clemson Express?’ Airlines add New Orleans football flights
The nation’s three biggest airlines are all adding extra flights to New Orleans from South Carolina’s Greenville/Spartanburg International Airport (GSP) later this month.
The flights are to help accommodate demand from college football fans flying to the college football championship game in New Orleans on Jan. 13. The match-up pits No. 1 Louisiana State University (LSU) against third-ranked Clemson University, which is about a 50-mile drive from GSP.
American and United are each adding three extra flights between New Orleans (MSY) and GSP while Delta is adding two, according to a statement from the airport.
American is adding one MSY-bound flight on Jan. 11 and two returns to GSP on Jan. 14.
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United is doing the opposite, adding two MSY-bound flights on Jan. 11 and one return on Jan. 14.
Delta is offering one nonstop to MSY on Jan. 11 and one return to GSP on Jan. 14.
None of the airlines normally offer nonstop service between New Orleans and Greenville/Spartanburg.
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The championship of the College Football Playoff kicks off at 8 p.m. ET on Monday, Jan. 13.
LSU advanced to the title game with a 63-28 rout of No. 4 Oklahoma. LSU’s campus in Baton Rouge is only about 80 miles from the Superdome – the championship venue – so extra flights are unnecessary for that fan base.
Clemson earned its spot in the championship by winning a 29-23 thriller against No. 2 Ohio State.
Seats on the nonstop GSP-MSY flights remained available on all three airlines late Thursday afternoon, but they aren’t cheap. Round-trip fares ranged from $1,231 on Delta to $1,531 on American.
