Louisiana's Airports: A Comprehensive Overview

Louisiana has a network of 72 public airports, including 7 airports providing scheduled commercial services, 3 reliever airports, 46 general aviation airports, and 16 other public-use airports. The main airport in Louisiana is in New Orleans, named after jazz musician Louis Armstrong. It is the second lowest-lying international airport in the world, at only 4.5 feet above sea level.

Louisiana's main airport

Louisiana has seven commercial airports that offer year-round flights, combining for about 15 million yearly passengers. The main airport in Louisiana is the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, located in Kenner City, Jefferson Parish, and owned by the city of New Orleans. It is the primary commercial airport for the New Orleans metropolitan area and southeast Louisiana. The airport is named after the legendary jazz musician Louis Armstrong and is located 11 miles (18km) west of downtown New Orleans.

The airport covers 1,500 acres (607 ha) of land and contains two runways and two helipads. It is the third lowest-lying international airport in the world, sitting at an average of 4.5 feet (1.4 m) above sea level. The airport's IATA code is MSY, derived from Moisant Stock Yards, as the previous New Orleans airport, Lakefront Airport, retained the code NEW.

MSY has a single terminal with three concourses labelled A, B, and C, and a total of 35 gates. International flights are processed in Concourse A, which contains the airport's customs facilities. The airport is served by I-10, and bus services to and from downtown New Orleans are provided by the New Orleans Regional Transit Authority Airport Express Route 202 and Jefferson Transit bus E-2.

Avelo Airlines, American Airlines, British Airways, Air Canada, and Spirit Airlines are among the carriers that offer flights to and from the airport.

The state's 72 public airports

Louisiana has a network of 72 public airports, including 7 airports providing scheduled commercial services, 3 reliever airports, 46 general aviation airports, and 16 other public-use airports.

The main airport in Louisiana is in New Orleans. In fact, out of all the airports in Louisiana, only New Orleans Louis Armstrong International Airport handles a significant amount of air traffic, with around 13 million passengers per year. The airport is located 18km from downtown New Orleans and is the main airport for the whole of southeast Louisiana. It is also the second lowest-lying international airport in the world, at just 4.5 feet above sea level.

The six other commercial airports in Louisiana are:

• Baton Rouge Ryan Airport (Ryan Field)
• Shreveport Regional Airport
• Lafayette Regional Airport
• Alexandria International Airport
• Monroe Regional Airport
• Lake Charles Regional Airport

These smaller airports are mostly operated by Allegiant Air and American Eagle airlines.

There are also 46 general aviation airports in Louisiana, including Abbeville Chris Crusta Memorial Airport, Esler Regional Airport, and Morehouse Memorial Airport.

7 commercial airports

Louisiana has a network of 72 public airports, including 7 airports that provide scheduled commercial services. These 7 commercial airports are:

Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY)

The largest airport in Louisiana, named after the legendary jazz musician, Louis Armstrong. It is located 18 km from downtown New Orleans, serving as the main airport of the city and the south-east region of the state. It is the second lowest-lying international airport in the world, at only 4.5 feet above sea level.

Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport (Ryan Field)

Also known as Ryan Field, this airport is located just 7km from Baton Rouge, the capital of Louisiana. Airlines serving this airport include American Eagle, Delta, and United.

Shreveport Regional Airport

This airport is located 7km from Shreveport and is served by Allegiant Air, American Eagle, Delta, and United.

Lafayette Regional Airport (Paul Fournet Field)

Lafayette Regional Airport is located a mere 4km from Lafayette city. Airlines serving this airport include American Eagle, Delta, and United.

Alexandria International Airport

Alexandria International is located 7km from its namesake city and is served by American Eagle, Delta, and United.

Monroe Regional Airport

Monroe Regional is located 8km from Monroe and is served by American Eagle, Delta, and United.

Lake Charles Regional Airport

Lake Charles Regional Airport is located 9km from Lake Charles. It is served by American Eagle and United.

These 7 commercial airports in Louisiana offer year-round flights and combine for about 15 million passengers annually.

3 reliever airports

Louisiana has a network of 72 public airports, including 46 general aviation airports and 16 other public-use airports. Out of these, 3 fall under the category of reliever airports. These reliever airports are designated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to relieve congestion at large commercial service airports and to provide more general aviation access to the community.

The three reliever airports in Louisiana are:

• Chennault International Airport: This airport is located in the city of Lake Charles and is one of the general aviation airports in the state. It serves the Lake Charles area and the surrounding Southwest Louisiana region.
• Houma-Terrebonne Airport: This airport is located in the city of Houma and is another general aviation airport in Louisiana. It is situated in Terrebonne Parish, about 60 miles southwest of New Orleans.
• Ruston Regional Airport: Ruston Regional Airport is a public-use airport located in Ruston, Louisiana. It is owned by the City of Ruston and is situated about 3 miles northwest of the city's central business district.

These reliever airports play an important role in supporting the larger commercial airports in Louisiana by providing alternative options for general aviation and helping to manage air traffic in the state effectively.

46 general aviation airports

Louisiana has a total of 46 general aviation airports. These airports are a part of the 72 public airports in the state, which also include 7 airports that provide scheduled commercial services, 3 reliever airports, and 16 other public-use airports.

General aviation airports are the largest single group of airports in the US airport system. These airports are often used by non-commercial pilots for personal or business reasons. They are also used for flight training, aircraft rentals, and corporate or executive transportation.

The general aviation airports in Louisiana include the Abbeville Chris Crusta Memorial Airport, Chennault International Airport, Houma-Terrebonne Airport, and the Harry P Williams Memorial Airport, among others. These airports provide an important network for general aviation access to the community and help relieve congestion at larger commercial service airports.

Some of the general aviation airports in Louisiana, such as the Abbeville Chris Crusta Memorial Airport and the Houma-Terrebonne Airport, are smaller fields located outside of the cities they serve. These airports offer a convenient option for pilots and passengers travelling to and from specific destinations within the state.

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