New Orleans trip cost: flights, hotels, food and things to do
Jazz, beignets and the French Quarter. A 4-night trip for 2 starts at about $1,206 for the cheapest flight, hotel and food, depending on where you fly from. Pick your airport to see three ready-made plans.
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What it costs from your airport
For 2 travelers, 4 nights. "From" is the cheapest flight and hotel plus everyday food; "Suggested budget" also covers a mid-priced flight and hotel and things to do.
| Flying from | From | Suggested budget |
|---|---|---|
| Tampa (TPA) | $1,206 | $2,100 |
| Miami (MIA) | $1,226 | $2,200 |
| Austin (AUS) | $1,246 | $2,200 |
| Orlando (MCO) | $1,246 | $2,200 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) | $1,256 | $2,200 |
| Nashville (BNA) | $1,266 | $2,100 |
| Baltimore (BWI) | $1,276 | $2,300 |
| Houston (IAH) | $1,286 | $2,100 |
| Washington Reagan (DCA) | $1,286 | $2,200 |
| Fort Lauderdale (FLL) | $1,286 | $2,200 |
| Charlotte (CLT) | $1,296 | $2,200 |
| New York JFK | $1,316 | $2,300 |
| Philadelphia (PHL) | $1,316 | $2,300 |
| New York LaGuardia (LGA) | $1,326 | $2,300 |
| Newark (EWR) | $1,336 | $2,300 |
| Chicago O'Hare (ORD) | $1,336 | $2,300 |
| St. Louis (STL) | $1,346 | $2,200 |
| Detroit (DTW) | $1,356 | $2,200 |
| Chicago Midway (MDW) | $1,356 | $2,200 |
| Minneapolis (MSP) | $1,356 | $2,300 |
| Boston (BOS) | $1,356 | $2,400 |
| Salt Lake City (SLC) | $1,356 | $2,400 |
| Atlanta (ATL) | $1,366 | $2,200 |
| Washington Dulles (IAD) | $1,376 | $2,300 |
| Los Angeles (LAX) | $1,386 | $2,400 |
| San Diego (SAN) | $1,386 | $2,400 |
| Phoenix (PHX) | $1,396 | $2,400 |
| Las Vegas (LAS) | $1,416 | $2,400 |
| Denver (DEN) | $1,426 | $2,300 |
| San Francisco (SFO) | $1,426 | $2,500 |
| Portland (PDX) | $1,486 | $2,500 |
| Seattle (SEA) | $1,486 | $2,500 |
| Honolulu (HNL) | $2,046 | $3,000 |
Food: about $82 a person a day
Restaurants worth the trip
- Café du Monde beignetsOrder: Beignets and café au lait · about $8 a person
- Commander's PalaceOrder: Turtle soup and bread pudding soufflé · about $85 a person
- Parkway Bakery po' boysOrder: Roast beef po' boy, dressed · about $15 a person
- CochonOrder: Rabbit and dumplings · about $55 a person
- Dooky Chase'sOrder: Fried chicken and gumbo · about $30 a person
Where to stay
- The Ritz-Carlton New Orleans5★ · $420 a night · or about 52,000 Marriott points
- Hyatt Regency New Orleans4★ · $200 a night · or about 15,000 Hyatt points
- Hyatt Centric French Quarter4★ · $230 a night · or about 17,000 Hyatt points
- Courtyard New Orleans French Quarter3★ · $180 a night · or about 26,000 Marriott points
- Marigny guesthouse3★ · $150 a night
- Mid-City hostel, private room2★ · $80 a night
Things to do
- Magazine Street shoppingfree · 2h 00m
- Garden District and streetcar$3 a person · 2h 30m
- City Park and art museum$15 a person · 2h 30m
- Frenchmen Street music$20 a person · 3h 00m
- French Quarter walking tour$25 a person · 2h 00m
- St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 tour$25 a person · 1h 00m
- National WWII Museum$32 a person · 4h 00m
- Preservation Hall jazz$35 a person · 1h 00m
- Audubon Aquarium$35 a person · 2h 00m
- Steamboat Natchez jazz cruise$40 a person · 2h 00m
- Swamp tour$45 a person · 3h 30m
- Creole cooking class$50 a person · 2h 30m
Questions
How much does a trip to New Orleans cost?
For 2 travelers and 4 nights, the cheapest flight and hotel plus everyday food start at about $1,206 from Tampa (TPA) and run to about $2,046 from the farthest major US airport. A comfortable budget with things to do is $2,100 to $3,000.
How much should I budget for food in New Orleans?
About $82 a person a day at mid-range places: breakfast $14, lunch $18, dinner $42, snacks and coffee $8.
How many nights do I need in New Orleans?
4 nights covers the main sights at an easy pace; the day plans on each route page show how the days fill.
Plan your New Orleans trip
Tell us your airport, dates and budget, and get three plans with flights, hotel, food and a day-by-day itinerary.
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