Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport

Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (KMSY) sits 11 miles west of downtown New Orleans in Kenner. Commercial service is dominant (Delta, Southwest, American, United are the major carriers) and the field handles a meaningful flow of business aviation. For New Orleans-area private aviation, KNEW (Lakefront Airport on the south shore of Lake Pontchartrain, 5 miles north of downtown) is the dedicated GA reliever and is the typical broker default for routine charter into the city; KMSY handles larger-cabin and international VIP movements. The two runways at KMSY (11/29 10,104 ft, 2/20 7,001 ft) handle every current business jet without restriction. Two FBOs (Atlantic and Signature) handle business movements. Field elevation is 4 feet, no density-altitude concerns. The dominant operational considerations are hurricane season (June through November — Katrina in 2005 famously closed KMSY for months), summer afternoon thunderstorms, and the standard Gulf Coast convective pattern. The structural event windows are Mardi Gras (late winter / early spring, varies by year), Jazz Fest (late April / early May), Sugar Bowl (New Year's Day), Saints home games, and major Bourbon Street weekend events. Ground time to the French Quarter is 25–35 minutes via I-10; the Garden District is 25–30; uptown is 30.