Two Airports That Take Jets. Mardi Gras Decides Which One.
Private jet charter to New Orleans lands at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International (MSY) or Lakefront (NEW); both take business jets, and at Jazz Fest, Mardi Gras and the Sugar Bowl parking decides which one. Peak is a pilot-founded charter broker in Bozeman, Montana that arranges the flight, and an ARGUS TripCheq or Wyvern vetted operator flies it. Teterboro is 2 h 45 away, Houston about an hour. The airport options are set out below.
Primary airport
Louis Armstrong New Orleans International (MSY)
Alternates
Lakefront (NEW), Slidell (ASD), Port of South Louisiana (APS)
From Teterboro
2 h 45 · Houston 1 h 05
Aircraft that fit
Light jets to heavy jets; MSY and NEW both take business jets
Know before you go
Parking decides the field at Jazz Fest, Mardi Gras and Sugar Bowl
Reviewed by Pat Sinnott, pilot and founder of Peak Aviation Solutions · Updated October 2026
FIND ADVENTURE
Extend Your Stay in New Orleans
Make the most of your trip by exploring New Orleans’ legendary charm:
- French Quarter Fun: Experience Bourbon Street’s vibrant nightlife.
- Iconic Cuisine: Savor Creole and Cajun classics at renowned spots like Commander’s Palace or Café du Monde.
- Cultural Landmarks: Visit Jackson Square, the Garden District, and the National WWII Museum.
With Peak Aviation’s private jet flights, your schedule is yours to control – stay as long as you’d like to soak in all that New Orleans has to offer.
Where to Stay in New Orleans
The choice is really between the Quarter and everywhere else. Staying inside it means walking home from dinner and hearing Bourbon Street work until three in the morning. The Central Business District is five minutes away and considerably quieter.
In the Quarter, the Monteleone has been running since 1886 and still has the carousel bar, and the Royal Sonesta sits directly on Bourbon for people who want to be in it rather than near it. A block outside, the Roosevelt is the grand option and now a Waldorf Astoria.
In the Central Business District, the Windsor Court is the quiet establishment pick, the Ritz-Carlton occupies the old Maison Blanche building, and the Four Seasons took the World Trade Center tower in 2021 with the river views to match. Uptown, the Pontchartrain has been trading since 1927. For Mardi Gras and Jazz Fest, book the room and the aircraft on the same call.
Where to Eat in New Orleans
New Orleans is one of the few American cities where the old restaurants are still the good ones. Antoine’s, Galatoire’s, Arnaud’s and Brennan’s in the Quarter all predate most of what has opened since, and all of them still earn the table.
Commander’s Palace in the Garden District holds seven James Beard awards and remains the one to book first. Herbsaint and Saba cover Uptown, Peche and Compère Lapin anchor the Warehouse District, and Dooky Chase’s in Tremé is the one carrying the history.
The newer wave earns the detour too. Dakar NOLA on Magazine Street took the James Beard award for Best New Restaurant, and Turkey and the Wolf is the sandwich counter that got famous without changing a thing. Reservations at the top rooms move faster than the hotel rooms do, so book the table when you book the flight.
THE OPTIONS
New Orleans Airport Options for Private Jet Charters
When flying private to New Orleans, you have several convenient airport options. Choose the one that best fits your schedule and preferences:
- Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY)
- Lakefront Airport (NEW)
- Slidell Airport – Slidell, LA (ASD)
- Port of South Louisiana Executive Regional Airport (APS)
Each of these airports ensures that your private jet flight to NOLA is convenient, efficient, and tailored to your preferences.
Which Aircraft Fits a Charter to New Orleans?
Louis Armstrong (MSY) and Lakefront (NEW) both take business jets. Jazz Fest, Mardi Gras and the Sugar Bowl are when parking decides the field.
Lakefront puts you minutes from the French Quarter. In festival weeks we book the parking with the aircraft.
Houston is about an hour, Dallas and Atlanta under ninety minutes, and Teterboro under three hours. Times below are wheels-up to wheels-down.
DestinationOrigin airportFlight time shown
Planning estimates for a midsize cabin in still air. Your actual block time depends on the aircraft, the load and the day; we confirm it on the quote.
New Orleans Charter Questions, Answered
Which airport do private jets use for New Orleans?
Louis Armstrong New Orleans International (MSY) takes most charter traffic and sits west of the city. Lakefront (NEW) is closer in and the usual pick for a short stay. Slidell (ASD) and the Port of South Louisiana Executive (APS) are the overflow fields.
Is Lakefront or Louis Armstrong the better airport for a short trip?
Lakefront, in most cases. It sits on the lake closer to downtown and the walk from aircraft to car is short. Louis Armstrong makes more sense when you need a longer runway, late-night handling, or an airline connection on the same trip.
How long is the flight to New Orleans?
About an hour and a quarter from Houston, an hour and a half from Atlanta, two and a half from New York, and roughly three and a half from Los Angeles.
When is the busiest time to fly private into New Orleans?
Mardi Gras, Jazz Fest in late April and early May, and any weekend the Superdome has a marquee event. In all three cases hotel rooms disappear before aircraft do.
How far in advance should I book a charter to New Orleans?
Two to three weeks for most of the year. For Mardi Gras and Jazz Fest allow two months or more, and book the hotel on the same call.
From June through November the storm calendar matters as much as the event calendar. Lakefront sits at seven feet of elevation, so if you are here in season it is worth having a hurricane evacuation plan ready before the forecast tightens.
Which aircraft works best for a New Orleans trip?
A light jet covers Texas and Florida comfortably. Midsize is the sensible pick from the Northeast or the Midwest, and a super-midsize or heavy makes sense from the West Coast. We match the aircraft to the leg and the headcount, not the other way around.
Are there empty legs to or from New Orleans?
Sometimes. Empty legs to or from New Orleans exist only when an aircraft is already repositioning and your dates line up with it. Houston, Dallas and Atlanta are the short routes where one is most likely to turn up, and the big weekends such as Jazz Fest, Mardi Gras and the Sugar Bowl send aircraft home empty afterwards. They are worth asking about and never worth planning around. What is currently available is listed on the empty legs page.
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