Alaska Airlines adds second New Orleans route just in time for next year's Super Bowl, Mardi Gras
Alaska Airlines is adding a new route to the Big Easy from one of its West Coast hubs.
Starting in January, the Seattle-based carrier will offer nonstop, seasonal service from Oregon's Portland International Airport (PDX) to Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY).
The service will launch Jan. 6 and run through May 14. Booking is now open.
Though it's just a five-month span for the new route, it will certainly give Pacific Northwest travelers some more opportunities to travel to New Orleans at a key time of year.
On top of the city's iconic Mardi Gras festivities early in the year, New Orleans' Caesars Superdome will play host to the next Super Bowl on Feb. 9.
Route details
Alaska will operate the winter seasonal route with a Boeing 737 mainline aircraft on a daily basis. Here's how the itinerary shakes out:
- PDX-MSY: Departs 9:05 a.m. Pacific time; arrives 3:30 p.m. Central time
- MSY-PDX: Departs 4:35 p.m. Central time; arrives 7:50 p.m. Pacific time
Growing its Portland, New Orleans capacity
The addition of New Orleans will give Alaska Airlines 55 nonstop destinations out of its Portland hub.
Notably, though, Portland will be just the second city serving the Big Easy in its network. Right now, Alaska only operates a New Orleans nonstop from its home base, at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA).
In fact, no carriers currently serve the Portland-New Orleans route, which makes it an intriguing option for travelers, leaders in both cities said.
"Portland has been the top unserved destination from New Orleans, and this new route not only strengthens the connection between our vibrant cities but also underscores our commitment to enhancing the travel experience for our community and visitors alike," MSY director for aviation Kevin Dolliole said in a statement.
For Alaska's part, the carrier's seats out of Portland are set to grow just over 12% in 2024, even prior to launching this new nonstop in early 2025, according to data from aviation analytics firm Cirium. However, its seats there still trail 2019 levels.
Bottom line
It's worth mentioning that though this seasonal route will feed more traffic into New Orleans for the Super Bowl and Mardi Gras, Alaska will just barely miss another major event: the Jan. 1 Sugar Bowl. That event will serve as one of the first-ever college football quarterfinal games this upcoming season.
Still, there's nary a bad time to fly to a city with rich food and plentiful cultural and entertainment options like New Orleans — not to mention some top-notch hotels.
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