New Orleans from San Diego, 16 – 18 Oct: £989 for two, all in
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The verdict
Our verdict
Worth it, if
- £89 per person below the typical fare on this route
- Lowest in 30 days on this route
- Holiday Inn New Orleans-Downtown Superdome by IHG, rated 8.5 by 2,280 guests
The catch: Not nonstop: a stop on the way, 5h 34m in all.
Worth it if you want to walk, eat and see things; skip it if you want to switch off.
Round-trip flights from San Diego to New Orleans were $492 per person ($984 for two) for Oct 16–18, 2026, 2 nights, when we checked, on American with one stop. The forecast shows highs of 77–86°F and little rain. The best-value hotel, Sonesta ES Suites New Orleans Convention Center, is $465 for the stay with breakfast.
The total, before you go
£989 for two · 2 nights · flights, hotel, taxes & fees
| For two | |
|---|---|
| Flights for two, return | £672 |
| Holiday Inn New Orleans-Downtown Superdome by IHG, 2 nights, two guests, taxes in | £317 |
| The total, before you go | £989 |
| Hold luggage each, return (not in the total) | about £121 |
£89 per person below the typical fare on this route.
Not in it: seat selection on basic fares and hold luggage (about £30 each way per bag on American, £121 for two return); a resort fee, if the hotel has one, is collected at the desk. Prices are what we found at the time shown; the booking site’s checkout is the binding one.
The flight
£336 per person, return
£672 for two, taxes and fees included · American · 1 stop · 5h 34m
Out Fri, Oct 16, 10:00 AM – Fri, Oct 16, 5:34 PM
| Airline | Per person | Stops | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| American | £336 | 1 stop | 5h 34m |
| American. Operated by Envoy Air as American Eagle | £336 | 1 stop | 5h 43m |
| American | £336 | 1 stop | 5h 39m |
Prices checked 12 Oct 2026, 11:50 GMT-7. Prices change; the binding price is the one on the booking site.
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Why now
At $492 per person round trip, all-in when we checked, this fare sits $147 below the highest fare we saw for these dates, a 23% gap. We saw 12 offers for this weekend, from $492 up to $639. For two, flights come to $984. Add the Sonesta at $465 and $520 for spending, and our budget for the weekend is $1,969 for two. The forecast helps too: 86°F and overcast on Friday, Oct 16, then 79°F and partly cloudy on Saturday with a 3% chance of rain, and 77°F on Sunday. October is still hurricane season, so keep an eye on the forecast before you go. It's a weekend for eating, live music and walking old streets. Prices change, so the fare may not hold.
The kind of trip this is
A city getaway built around food, jazz and history. It suits a couple or two friends who like to eat well, walk a lot and stay out for music. With a Friday afternoon flight and 2 nights, the pace is easy: one full day on Saturday, a slower Sunday, and evenings spent in the music clubs.
Weather in New Orleans, 16 – 18 Oct
Highs 77–89°F, little rain expected
| Day | High | Low | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fri 16 Oct | 89 °F | 75 °F | 6% |
| Sat 17 Oct | 78 °F | 67 °F | 3% |
| Sun 18 Oct | 77 °F | 64 °F | 11% |
Where to stay in New Orleans
Best value: Sonesta ES Suites New Orleans Convention Center, $465 for 2 nights ($233 a night) in a Studio Suite Queen with breakfast, review score 8 from 2,605 reviews, no free cancellation. It's in the Central Business District / Warehouse District, with museums and restaurants a short walk from the French Quarter. Top rated: Hyatt Regency New Orleans, 9 from 989 reviews, $528 for the stay ($264 a night), room only, with free cancellation. Budget: The Louie Hotel New Orleans, Belvilla District 6 Formerly Sonder, $379 ($190 a night), 6.4 from 142 reviews, room only with a queen bed, shared kitchen and shared bathroom, no free cancellation. If your plans might change, the Hyatt is the only one of the three with free cancellation.
Holiday Inn New Orleans-Downtown Superdome by IHG
£317 for 2 nights, two guests · £158 a night
See roomsHyatt Regency New Orleans
£401 for 2 nights, two guests · £201 a night
See roomsThe Louie Hotel New Orleans, Belvilla District 6 Formerly Sonder
£203 for 2 nights, two guests · £102 a night
See roomsAll hotels in New Orleans for these dates
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Where in New Orleans
- French Quarter: Historic heart with balconies, jazz clubs and Bourbon Street.
- Central Business District / Warehouse District: Modern hotels, museums and restaurants a short walk from the Quarter.
- Garden District: Grand mansions and oak-lined streets along the streetcar line.
- Marigny / Bywater: Frenchmen Street music clubs and colourful shotgun houses.
What to do in New Orleans
- Hear live jazz on Frenchmen Street in the Marigny, or at Preservation Hall
- Eat beignets at Café du Monde, then gumbo in the French Quarter
- Ride the St. Charles streetcar past the Garden District's mansions and oak-lined streets
- Tour the National WWII Museum, near the Warehouse District hotels
- Take a swamp tour to see alligators
- Visit the above-ground tombs of St. Louis Cemetery
Tours and tickets in New Orleans
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Getting there and around
| Airports in San Diego | San Diego International (SAN) |
|---|---|
| Airports in New Orleans | Louis Armstrong New Orleans International (MSY) |
| Flight time | 5h 34m (1 stop) |
| Distance | 1,606 miles each way |
| Time difference | +2 hours |
What 2 nights in New Orleans costs
| Estimate | |
|---|---|
| Flights for two | £672 |
| Hotel, 2 nights (Holiday Inn New Orleans-Downtown Superdome by IHG) | £317 |
| Food, getting around and tickets, 2 days for two | £392 |
| Total for two | £1,381 |
Flights and hotel are the prices we found; spending is a planning estimate for an upscale destination, per person per day times two.
Price history: San Diego to New Orleans
| Per person | |
|---|---|
| This trip | £336 per person |
| Lowest in the last 30 days | £336 (12 Oct 2026) |
| Typical price, last 60 days | £425 |
| Price checks | 8 |
Good to know
- Passport: no passport needed for travellers from the United States: a government photo ID is enough for New Orleans.
- Currency: US dollar (USD).
- Hurricane season
- No passport needed, and you pay in US dollars.
- New Orleans is 2 hours ahead of San Diego.
- The outbound American flight leaves SAN at 1:53 PM, makes one stop and lands at MSY at 9:32 PM, 5h 39m in total.
- Mid-October falls in hurricane season, which runs June through November.
- Of the three hotels, only Hyatt Regency New Orleans offers free cancellation; only the Sonesta includes breakfast.
Questions readers ask
How much is the flight?
$492 per person round trip on American, $984 for two, all-in when we checked. That's $147 below the highest fare we saw for these dates. Fares move, so check the live price.
Is it nonstop?
No. The flight we found has one stop and takes 5h 39m, leaving San Diego at 1:53 PM on Friday, Oct 16 and landing in New Orleans at 9:32 PM local time.
Do I need a passport?
No. It's a domestic trip from San Diego International (SAN) to Louis Armstrong New Orleans International (MSY), and everything is in US dollars.
What is the weather like?
The forecast shows 86°F and overcast on Friday, 79°F and partly cloudy on Saturday, and 77°F on Sunday. Rain chances are 7%, 3% and 12%, with lows from 63°F to 75°F.
Is 2 nights enough?
For a food-and-music weekend, yes. You land Friday night, get all of Saturday for the Quarter, the streetcar and the WWII Museum, and have Sunday for beignets before heading home.
What does the whole weekend cost?
Our budget comes to $1,969 for two: $984 in flights, $465 at the Sonesta and $520 for spending, which works out to $130 per person per day.
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Prices converted from US dollars at the rate of 15 Oct 2026.
Image credits
- Photo: K / Pexels, Pexels License
- Photo: Dominik Gryzbon / Pexels, Pexels License
- Photo: K / Pexels, Pexels License