A pre-booked airport transfer in New Orleans takes the guesswork out of the first hour of the trip. Your chauffeur tracks the flight into Louis Armstrong New Orleans International (MSY), waits in arrivals with a name board, helps with the bags and drives you to the French Quarter or anywhere else in the city at a price fixed before you fly: from US$170 in a Business Sedan to US$445 in a 12-seat Executive Sprinter, all-in.
The same fixed fare applies in the other direction, from your hotel back to MSY. This walkthrough covers each step of the arrival, what happens when a flight is early or late, how much luggage each vehicle takes, and how the fixed fare compares with the airport's published taxi flat rate. Rides in New Orleans are operated by licensed, commercially insured local chauffeur partners vetted through the Limousine Worldwide network; Elly8.net takes the booking, fixes the price and runs the 24/7 desk.
How does a New Orleans airport transfer work?
You book online with your flight number. The chauffeur tracks the flight, waits in the arrivals area with a name board, helps at the carousel and walks you to the car. MSY to the French Quarter is a fixed US$170 in a Business Sedan up to US$445 in an Executive Sprinter, with complimentary waiting after a tracked landing.
The airport is in Kenner, west of the city. The drive to the French Quarter is about 16 miles (26 km), roughly 26 minutes on a clear road along I-10, and noticeably longer in the evening rush or when an event is letting out at the Superdome. The fare does not change with traffic. The New Orleans price list shows every vehicle, one way and round trip.
See New Orleans prices and reserve
Before you fly: what to send the desk
A smooth pickup starts with a complete booking. These are the details that make the difference on the day.
- Flight number and date. This is what lets the chauffeur track the flight. If you change flights, update the booking or tell the desk.
- Passengers and bags. Give the real numbers, including golf bags, strollers or instrument cases. The desk checks the vehicle fits before you pay.
- Child seats. Available on request. List each child's age or weight so the right seats are fitted before pickup.
- Your destination, exactly. A French Quarter hotel name is helpful, because some Quarter streets are narrow or closed to cars at busy times. If your hotel has no driveway, we agree a drop-off corner at the edge of the Quarter, such as Canal Street, Decatur Street or Esplanade Avenue.
- A mobile number that works on arrival. The chauffeur uses it to message you when you land.
For anything not on the price list, such as a hotel in the CBD, the Garden District, Uptown or Metairie, the web booker returns a fixed price for the exact address.
Step by step: from landing to the car
1. Landing. The chauffeur has been watching your flight since it left. If it lands early, the pickup moves earlier; if it lands late, the pickup moves later. Nothing is required from you.
2. Arrivals and baggage claim. At MSY, ground transportation is organised around Level 1 Baggage Claim. Your chauffeur meets you in the arrivals area with a name board and stays with you while you collect your bags. If you would rather meet at the curb, put that in the booking notes and the chauffeur will message you with the exact spot.
3. To the vehicle. The chauffeur takes the bags and walks you to the car. You skip the taxi queue at the Arrivals Curb and the rideshare queue on the middle curb, both of which can be long when several flights land together on a Friday before a festival weekend.
4. The drive. About 26 minutes on a clear road to the French Quarter. The chauffeur knows which Quarter blocks a car can actually reach and will use your hotel's driveway or loading zone if it has one.
5. Drop-off. Bags to the door or the agreed corner, and you are done. There is nothing to pay at the end: chauffeur, taxes, standard gratuity and meet and greet are included. Tolls and parking are billed at cost.
Our airport meet and greet page describes the standard every chauffeur works to.
Wait times: early, late and very late flights
This is the part of an airport transfer people worry about most, so here is exactly how it works.
Early landings. Because the flight is tracked, the chauffeur adjusts to the real arrival time. You do not need to call.
Delays. If your flight is delayed, the pickup follows the new landing time. Complimentary waiting starts after the tracked landing, which gives you time to get off the aircraft and collect your bags without watching the clock.
Long delays and missed connections. If a connection is missed and you are rebooked on a much later flight, tell the desk the new flight number. The 24/7 desk reschedules the pickup.
Slow bags or a long line. If the carousel is slow or you are held up, message the chauffeur. Waiting beyond the included time is billed at cost, and the desk lets you know before that applies.
Cancelled flights. Contact the desk as soon as you know. Our standard cancellation terms are free cancellation more than 72 hours before pickup, 10% at 72 hours or less, 50% at 48 hours or less and 100% at 24 hours or less or for a no-show, with refunds to the original card.
Luggage: how much fits in each vehicle
Bag counts below are for standard suitcases. Tell us about oversized items and the desk will confirm the right vehicle.
| Vehicle | Passengers | Bags | MSY to the French Quarter, one way | Round trip |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business Sedan | up to 3 | up to 2 | US$170 | US$325 |
| Business SUV | up to 6 | up to 6 | US$225 | US$430 |
| First Class SUV | up to 6 | up to 6 | US$275 | US$525 |
| First Class Sedan | up to 3 | up to 2 | US$300 | US$570 |
| Executive Sprinter | up to 12 | up to 12 | US$445 | US$850 |
A couple with two large cases and two carry-ons is usually comfortable in a sedan. A family of four with car seats, or two couples with checked bags, will want a Business SUV. Wedding parties, conference teams and festival crews with instruments or equipment are the classic Sprinter booking. The fleet page has seat and bag details for every class.
Flat rate vs metered vs fixed: the honest comparison
New Orleans is one of the few US cities where the airport publishes a flat taxi fare into the city, so the comparison is clear. According to the MSY taxi page, a taxi from the airport to the CBD or French Quarter costs US$36 for up to two passengers, and US$15 per passenger for three or more. Taxis load in a dedicated zone on the Arrivals Curb outside Level 1 Baggage Claim Door 7.
App rides are not flat rate. The MSY ride app page says riders cross to the middle curb outside baggage claim, with Lyft through Doors 7 to 9 and Uber through Doors 9 to 11, and join the queue. Prices move with demand, so a festival Friday can cost much more than a quiet Tuesday.
| Party | Taxi flat rate to the Quarter or CBD | Elly8.net fixed fare | Which usually wins |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 or 2 people, carry-ons | US$36 plus tip | US$170 Business Sedan | the taxi |
| 3 people | US$45 plus tip | US$170 Business Sedan | the taxi, on price |
| 4 people with checked bags | US$60 plus tip | US$225 Business SUV | the taxi on price; the SUV on space and certainty |
| 6 people with bags | US$90 plus tip, if one cab can take everyone | US$225 Business SUV | depends on bags and timing |
| 10 people with bags | several cabs | US$445 Executive Sprinter | the Sprinter |
The fair verdict: for one to three people with light luggage at a normal hour, the taxi flat rate is excellent value and hard to beat. A pre-booked transfer earns its price when you land late at night, when you need child seats, when you have more bags than a cab takes, when the group needs to arrive together, or when you simply want someone waiting with your name. Our guides to chauffeur vs taxi and chauffeur vs Uber and Lyft go further, and our post on whether the New Orleans airport shuttle is worth it adds the bus to the picture.
Going back to MSY
Departures are the same fixed fare in reverse: US$170 in a Business Sedan up to US$445 in an Executive Sprinter from the French Quarter. Book the return when you book the arrival and the round-trip price applies, from US$325 to US$850.
The desk suggests a pickup time based on your flight time, the day of the week and what is happening in the city. Allow more on Saturday and Sunday mornings after a big weekend, on Ash Wednesday after Mardi Gras, and on the Monday after Jazz Fest's second weekend, when half the city seems to be flying out at once. If your hotel is in the Quarter and has no driveway, the chauffeur will meet you at the same corner you were dropped at.
Arriving for Mardi Gras, Jazz Fest or a convention
Mardi Gras. According to New Orleans & Company, the 2027 Carnival season runs from Twelfth Night, January 6, to Fat Tuesday, February 9, 2027. Parade routes close to traffic for hours, so the chauffeur may drop you a few blocks from your hotel if a parade is rolling. Book airport legs early for the final weekend.
Jazz Fest. The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival is usually held over two long weekends in late April and early May at the Fair Grounds Race Course. Arrival days are busy at MSY, and app prices rise.
Conventions. The Ernest N. Morial Convention Center hosts large conventions through the year, and delegates often land in waves. We book Sprinters for teams and sedans for speakers; see conference transportation and, for regular travellers, a corporate account with monthly invoicing.
If you need a car for more than the airport run, our New Orleans private driver guide covers hourly bookings and day trips. Travelling on after New Orleans? We also book Houston and Memphis at fixed prices.
Frequently asked questions
Where will my driver meet me at MSY?
In the arrivals area, with a name board, before you collect your bags. Baggage claim is on Level 1. The chauffeur stays with you at the carousel and walks you to the vehicle. If you prefer to meet outside, add that to the booking notes and the chauffeur will message you with the exact spot.
What happens if my flight is late?
Nothing changes on your side. The chauffeur tracks the flight and adjusts to the actual landing time, and complimentary waiting starts after the tracked landing. If you are rebooked onto a much later flight, send the desk the new flight number and the pickup is moved.
Is the price the same to and from the airport?
Yes. Every airport fare is the same fixed price in either direction. MSY to the French Quarter, or the French Quarter to MSY, is US$170 in a Business Sedan, US$225 in a Business SUV and US$445 in an Executive Sprinter, all-in.
Is the taxi flat rate cheaper than a car service?
For one or two people, yes: the airport's published taxi fare to the CBD or French Quarter is US$36, plus tip. For three or more it is US$15 a person. A pre-booked car makes sense for late arrivals, child seats, large groups, heavy luggage or a guaranteed pickup.
Can you book an airport transfer to Uptown or Metairie?
Yes. The French Quarter is the reference point on our price list, and any other address, including the Garden District, Uptown, the CBD, Metairie or Kenner, is priced in the web booker. The fare is fixed before you pay, with the same flight tracking and meet and greet.
Do you provide child seats for the airport transfer?
Yes, on request. Tell us how many children and their ages or weights when you book, and the seats are fitted before pickup. A Business SUV is usually the best fit for a family with luggage, a stroller and two or more seats.
