Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport

New Orleans, Louisiana is a city full of attractions. Visitors to the area can enjoy the museums, aquariums, historical buildings, and business centers. To arrive in New Orleans travelers can either drive or fly directly into Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport. In the 1930's it was determined the city of New Orleans needed a larger airport since the Municipal Airport on the lakefront was no longer sufficient. The airport was unable to handle the air transportation requirements. It was decided that the original airport could not be expanded. The city government and FAA decided to build a new airport.

By the 1940's a site had been chosen called the Kenner Site. 648 acres were purchased. It took several more years for the airport to begin construction because of the war. However, Moisant Field was taken over as an air base for the US Government. The government did build some facilities on the site. Finally in 1946 the commercial service started. They created the airport on 1360 acres of land with a 5000 foot runway and 7000 foot runway. They also installed the first Instrument Landing System. By 1974 there were 42 gates at the airport. The airport was not named after Louis Armstrong until 2001 in honor of the jazz musicians 100th birthday.

Today the airlines at the airport include AirTran, American Air, Continental, Delta, JetBlue, Northwest, Southwest, United, and US Airways. There are four concourses at Louis Armstrong Airport, with a main terminal leading to each. New Orleans is a port city, which means cargo comes in and out of the town. The international airport helps bring in some of that cargo. LANOIA for short is the ninth largest origin and destination airport in the United States. Several Latin American countries fly directly to the airport, along with other international flights. The airport offers more than 12000 jobs. The cargo airlines include Bax Global, DHL, Emery Worldwide, and FedEx.

The terminal has numerous shops and restaurants for travelers. These locations include Tabasco Country Store, Westin Gifts, News Westin Gifts, Back Alley Jazz, Body Shop, Jazz Alley, Acme Oyster House, Blue Bell, PJ's Coffee, and Hudson Bookstore. Concourse A has Austin Blues, Garden District Bistro, Hot Pops, Grove, Lucky Dogs, and Westin News and Gifts. Concourse A is the home for US Airways flights. Concourse B is home to Southwest. Shops and restaurants include Praline Connection, Grove, Subway, Blue Bell, Lucky Dogs, Hudson News, Cruzan Rum Bar, Live Oaks Bar, and Jester's Express.

Concourse C has gates for American Airlines, United, and AirTran. Hot Pops, Grove, Hudson News, Creole Carvery, Yogurt, Tobasco Country Store, Atrium Lounge, Pizza to Go, Airdogs, and Blue Bell are the restaurants and shops on this concourse. Concourse D has gates for Continental, Delta, Northwest, and JetBlue. There are a few shops and stores at this concourse. They include Jester's Bar and Grill, Hudson News, Grove, Airdogs, and Crescent City Snacks. The airport is sufficiently close to downtown New Orleans for visitors to take public transportation to the center.