Great Smoky Mountains from New Orleans, Oct 23–25: $1,100 for two, all in
The verdict
Our verdict
Worth it, if
- $103 per person below the typical fare on this route
- Zoders Inn and Suites, rated 8.2 by 1,812 guests
- Highs 74–78°F, a small chance of rain
The catch: Not nonstop: a stop on the way, 28h 37m in all.
Worth it if you want to be outside all day; skip it if you want to lie by a pool.
A round trip from New Orleans to the Great Smoky Mountains costs $408 per person ($816 for two) for Oct 23–25, 2026. That covers 2 nights, flying F9 + G4 with one stop each way. Highs run 74–78°F with a chance of drizzle Sunday, Zoders Inn and Suites in Gatlinburg is $284 for the stay, and heads-up: the flight out takes 28h 37m and lands Saturday at 8:50 PM.
The total, before you go
$1,100 for two · 2 nights · flights, hotel, taxes & fees
| For two | |
|---|---|
| Flights for two, round trip | $816 |
| Zoders Inn and Suites, 2 nights, two guests, taxes in | $284 |
| The total, before you go | $1,100 |
| A checked bag each, round trip (not in the total) | about $240 |
$103 per person below the typical fare on this route.
Not in it: seat picks on basic fares and a checked bag (about $60 each way per bag on Frontier, $240 for two round trip); 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
$408 per person, round trip
$816 for two, taxes and fees included · F9 + G4 · 1 stop · 28h 37m
Out Fri, Oct 23, 9:05 PM – Sat, Oct 24, 8:50 PM · back Sun, Oct 25, 2:01 PM – Sun, Oct 25, 6:53 PM
| Airline | Per person | Stops | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| F9 + G4 | $408 | 1 stop | 28h 37m |
| MX + G4 | $443 | 1 stop | 39h 33m |
| MX + G4 | $449 | 1 stop | 20h 32m |
Prices checked Oct 13, 2026, 7:57 AM CDT. 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
It's $408 per person round trip, $816 for two. That's $103 below the typical fare on this route, 20% under the $511 median of our earlier checks. We saw 12 offers for this weekend, ranging from $408 to $669 per person, and this one is at the bottom of that range. Late October is peak fall foliage in the Smokies and brings some of the busiest weekends of the year. Saturday, Oct 24 is forecast at 78°F and clear. Sunday looks like 74°F with a 43% chance of drizzle. The catch is the schedule. You leave Friday at 9:05 PM and land Saturday at 8:50 PM after 28h 37m with one stop, so you get one night and Sunday morning on the ground. It's worth it if you want a quick look at the fall color and don't mind a long travel day.
The kind of trip this is
This is a nature getaway in peak fall color, with misty ridges, black bears, short hikes and a walkable mountain town at the park entrance. It suits a couple or two friends who like early starts and can handle a long day of travel. The pace is quick, more of a sampler than a full park vacation, since most of your time there falls on Saturday night and Sunday morning.
Weather in Great Smoky Mountains, Oct 23–25
Highs 74–78°F, a small chance of rain
| Day | High | Low | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fri, Oct 23 | 78 °F | 53 °F | 7% |
| Sat, Oct 24 | 78 °F | 57 °F | 19% |
| Sun, Oct 25 | 74 °F | 59 °F | 43% |
Where to stay in Great Smoky Mountains
All three picks are in Gatlinburg, the walkable resort town at the park entrance with cabins in the hills. Zoders Inn and Suites is the best value. A King Room is $284 for both nights ($142 a night) and rates 8.2 from 1,812 reviews. It's room only and can't be canceled for free. Reagan Resorts Inn is the top rated at 8.3 from 2,041 reviews. A renovated king room with a pool view is $515 for the stay ($258 a night), also room only with no free cancellation. Sleep Inn & Suites near Sports World Blvd is the flexible pick at $426 ($213 a night). It scores 7.5 from 1,083 reviews and is the only one with breakfast and free cancellation. Heads-up: you land Saturday night, so at all three hotels you pay for Friday night but won't use it.
Zoders Inn and Suites
$284 for 2 nights, two guests · $142 a night
See roomsReagan Resorts Inn
$515 for 2 nights, two guests · $258 a night
See roomsSleep Inn & Suites near Sports World Blvd
$426 for 2 nights, two guests · $213 a night
See roomsAll hotels in Great Smoky Mountains for these dates
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Where in Great Smoky Mountains
- Gatlinburg: Walkable resort town at the park entrance with cabins in the hills.
- Pigeon Forge: Family attractions, dinner shows and Dollywood.
- Sevierville: Lower-cost hotels and cabin rentals a short drive out.
- Townsend: The quiet side of the Smokies, near Cades Cove.
- Bryson City, NC: Small-town base on the North Carolina side with the scenic railroad.
What to do in Great Smoky Mountains
- Drive the Cades Cove loop at dawn for a chance to see bears and deer.
- Hike to the Clingmans Dome observation tower for views across the ridges.
- Walk the Gatlinburg SkyBridge, in the same town as all three hotels.
- Hike to Laurel Falls or Alum Cave Bluffs while the fall color is at its peak.
- Spend a day at Dollywood in Pigeon Forge if you can stretch the trip.
Also worth it
- See the synchronous fireflies at Elkmont in June
Tours and tickets in Great Smoky Mountains
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Getting there and around
| Airports in New Orleans | Louis Armstrong New Orleans International (MSY) |
|---|---|
| Airports in Great Smoky Mountains | Knoxville McGhee Tyson (TYS), Asheville Regional (AVL) |
| Flight time | 28h 37m (1 stop) |
| Distance | 551 miles each way |
| Time difference | +1 hour |
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What 2 nights in Great Smoky Mountains costs
| Estimate | |
|---|---|
| Flights for two | $816 |
| Hotel, 2 nights (Zoders Inn and Suites) | $284 |
| Food, getting around and tickets, 2 days for two | $360 |
| Total for two | $1,460 |
Flights and hotel are the prices we found; spending is a planning estimate for a mid-range destination, per person per day times two.
Price history: New Orleans to Great Smoky Mountains
| Per person | |
|---|---|
| This trip | $408 per person |
| Lowest in the last 30 days | $402 (Oct 13, 2026) |
| Typical price, last 60 days | $511 |
| Price checks | 8 |
Good to know
- Passport: no passport needed for travelers from the United States: a government photo ID is enough for Great Smoky Mountains.
- Currency: US dollar (USD).
- Peak fall foliage and the busiest weekends of the year
- You don't need a passport for this domestic trip, and you'll pay in US dollars.
- The Smokies are on Eastern time, 1 hour ahead of New Orleans.
- This fare flies MSY to Knoxville McGhee Tyson (TYS) with one stop. The flight back leaves Sunday at 2:01 PM and lands at 6:53 PM.
- Prices are all-in as we found them on Oct 13 and can change. Zoders and Reagan can't be canceled for free; Sleep Inn can.
- October is peak fall foliage and brings the busiest weekends of the year, so expect crowds.
Questions readers ask
How much is the flight?
It's $408 per person round trip, or $816 for two, all-in when we checked on Oct 13, flying F9 + G4 with one stop. That's $103 below the typical fare on this route. Other offers we saw for this weekend went up to $669 per person.
Is 2 nights enough?
It's tight. You land Saturday at 8:50 PM and fly home Sunday at 2:01 PM, so you really get Saturday night and Sunday morning. That's enough for one early outing, like the Cades Cove loop at dawn, but not for a day at Dollywood.
What is the weather like?
Friday looks overcast at 78°F. Saturday is clear at 78°F with a 19% chance of rain. Sunday is 74°F with a 43% chance of drizzle. Lows run 53–59°F, so bring a layer for the mornings.
What does the whole weekend cost for two?
We estimate $1,460: $816 for flights, $284 for Zoders Inn and Suites and $360 for spending money, at $90 per person per day.
Which airport do I fly into?
This fare lands at Knoxville McGhee Tyson (TYS). Asheville Regional (AVL) also serves the park.
Do I need a passport?
No. It's a domestic trip, you pay in US dollars and the only change is the clock, 1 hour ahead of New Orleans.
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All trips from New Orleans · Great Smoky Mountains from every city · Prices on this route · Trips in October 2026 · Home
Great Smoky Mountains in pictures
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- Photo: Owen.outdoors / Pexels, Pexels License
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