New Orleans from Washington, DC, 16 – 18 Oct: £1,057 for two, all in
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The verdict
Our verdict
Worth it, if
- 2h 50m nonstop on American, leaving DCA at 11:30 AM
- $521 per person, right at the median of our earlier checks
- Highs of 78–89°F with rain chances of just 1–7%
The catch: October is still hurricane season in New Orleans, and checked bags, about $160 for two, aren't in the total.
Worth it if you want a short nonstop to a weekend of food and jazz; skip it if traveling in hurricane season makes you uneasy.
Worth it if you're fine traveling in hurricane season: the forecast is dry, and the fare is right at the price we usually see. The whole trip is $1,402 for two: $1,042 for the flights plus $360 for the hotel, taxes and fees included. That's Oct 16–18, 2026, 2 nights, on a 2h 50m American nonstop from DCA to MSY.
The total, before you go
£1,057 for two · 2 nights · flights, hotel, taxes & fees
| For two | |
|---|---|
| Flights for two, return | £785 |
| Holiday Inn Express New Orleans East by IHG, 2 nights, two guests, taxes in | £271 |
| The total, before you go | £1,057 |
| Hold luggage each, return (not in the total) | about £121 |
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
£393 per person, return
£785 for two, taxes and fees included · American · nonstop · 2h 50m
Out Fri, Oct 16, 11:30 AM – Fri, Oct 16, 1:20 PM
| Airline | Per person | Stops | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| American | £393 | nonstop | 2h 50m |
| Southwest | £393 | nonstop | 2h 50m |
| F9 + MX | £442 | 2 stops | 26h 31m |
Prices checked 13 Oct 2026, 04:02 GMT-4. Prices change; the binding price is the one on the booking site.
Paid links: when you book through a link on this page, the booking site pays us a referral fee. Your price does not change. How we earn
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Why now
$1,402 for two covers the round-trip flights and 2 nights with breakfast, taxes and fees included. The fare is $521 per person, the same as the median of 10 earlier checks on this route. The lowest we saw in those checks was $489, on Oct 12, so it isn't a markdown. You're paying the going rate. What you get for it is a 2h 50m nonstop that lands at 1:20 PM on Friday, which gives you a full first evening in town. The forecast shows highs of 89°F on Friday, 79°F on Saturday and 78°F on Sunday, with rain chances between 1% and 7%. That's good weather for walking the Quarter and sitting outside with beignets. October falls inside hurricane season, so keep an eye on the forecast before you go. Plan on extra money for food and drinks, which aren't in the total.
The kind of trip this is
A city weekend built around food and music. Think live jazz, beignets and gumbo, streetcar rides past old mansions and an afternoon at a big history museum. It's a good fit for a couple or two friends who like to walk, eat and stay out for a set or two. With 2 nights, the pace is full but not rushed: one neighborhood in the morning, one long dinner and music after dark.
Weather in New Orleans, 16 – 18 Oct
Highs 78–89°F, little rain expected
| Day | High | Low | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fri 16 Oct | 89 °F | 75 °F | 6% |
| Sat 17 Oct | 79 °F | 65 °F | 1% |
| Sun 18 Oct | 78 °F | 67 °F | 7% |
Where to stay in New Orleans
Our best-value pick is Holiday Inn Express New Orleans East by IHG. It's $360 for the stay ($180 a night), with breakfast and free cancellation, and it's rated 8.8 from 530 reviews. That's the hotel in the $1,402 total. The top-rated pick is Hyatt Regency New Orleans in Downtown New Orleans, at $532 for the stay ($266 a night). It's rated 9 from 990 reviews, is room only and has free cancellation. Hampton Inn and Suites New Orleans Convention Center is $424 for the stay ($212 a night) and includes breakfast. It's rated 8.7 from 1,375 reviews but has no free cancellation. It sits in the Central Business District / Warehouse District, where you get modern hotels, museums and restaurants a short walk from the French Quarter.
Holiday Inn Express New Orleans East by IHG
£271 for 2 nights, two guests · £136 a night
See roomsHyatt Regency New Orleans
£401 for 2 nights, two guests · £201 a night
See roomsHampton Inn and Suites New Orleans Convention Center
£320 for 2 nights, two guests · £160 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 or at Preservation Hall
- Eat beignets at Café du Monde and gumbo in the Quarter
- Ride the St. Charles streetcar through the Garden District
- Tour the National WWII Museum
- 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 Washington, DC | Ronald Reagan Washington National (DCA), Washington Dulles International (IAD), Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall (BWI) |
|---|---|
| Airports in New Orleans | Louis Armstrong New Orleans International (MSY) |
| Flight time | 2h 50m nonstop |
| Distance | 965 miles each way |
| Time difference | -1 hour |
What 2 nights in New Orleans costs
| Estimate | |
|---|---|
| Flights for two | £785 |
| Hotel, 2 nights (Holiday Inn Express New Orleans East by IHG) | £271 |
| Food, getting around and tickets, 2 days for two | £392 |
| Total for two | £1,449 |
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: Washington, DC to New Orleans
| Per person | |
|---|---|
| This trip | £393 per person |
| Lowest in the last 30 days | £369 (12 Oct 2026) |
| Typical price, last 60 days | £393 |
| Price checks | 10 |
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'll pay in US dollars.
- New Orleans is 1 hour behind Washington, DC.
- Checked bags aren't in the fare and run about $160 for two.
- The best-value and top-rated hotels have free cancellation; the Hampton Inn and Suites does not.
- October is part of hurricane season in New Orleans.
Questions readers ask
Is it worth it?
Yes, as long as hurricane season doesn't worry you. You get a 2h 50m nonstop at $521 per person, which matches the median of our earlier checks, plus a forecast of 78–89°F with rain chances of 1–7%.
How much is the whole trip for two?
It's $1,402: $1,042 for the flights plus $360 for 2 nights at Holiday Inn Express New Orleans East by IHG, taxes and fees included. Checked bags (about $160 for two) and food and drinks aren't included.
What are the flight times?
The American nonstop leaves DCA at 11:30 AM on Friday, Oct 16, and lands at MSY at 1:20 PM local time. Southwest also flies nonstop at the same fare, leaving at 8:30 PM and landing at 10:20 PM.
What is the weather like?
The forecast is overcast with highs of 89°F on Friday, 79°F on Saturday and 78°F on Sunday. Rain chances are 6%, 1% and 7%, and lows run 65–75°F.
Do I need a passport?
No. It's a domestic trip, so you'll pay in US dollars and set your watch back 1 hour.
Is 2 nights enough?
For a first look, yes. You land at 1:20 PM on Friday, so you can fit in jazz on Frenchmen Street that night, the Quarter and the WWII Museum on Saturday, and a streetcar ride on Sunday.
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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