Flights, Hotels, and things to do can quickly add to a budget when planning a vacation to New Orleans. Looking for the cheapest time to visit might be a good idea to save on the budget.
There is never a wrong time of the year to visit the Big Easy, and a great time to visit might vary based on what you like to do.
Each season in New Orleans has the best festivals, foods to eat, and things to do – so why not visit New Orleans at its cheapest?
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When is The Cheapest Time To Visit New Orleans?
June, July, August, and September are the cheapest and hottest months to visit New Orleans. Summer is considered New Orleans’ Shoulder Season. While some significant festivals and football games cause hotels and flight prices to rise, these four months are the cheapest times to visit due to hotels slashing prices to fill their occupancy rates.
Fewer tourists will be in the city during the summer, except for a few key festivals and special events, during the summer – which means fewer wait times at popular attractions.
June-September is in the middle of Hurricane Season, but as long as you plan to book travel insurance or book refundable fares, that should not be a concern.
What is the Cheapest Month to visit New Orleans?
The cheapest month to visit New Orleans in August. Hotel deals are abundant this month, and August has even more discounts for foodies and museum lovers, making it the cheapest to visit.
When is the Best time of year to visit New Orleans?
April, May, and October are the best times to Visit New Orleans. The weather will be nice. There are a lot of festivals, including the French Quarter Festival and Jazz & Heritage Festival.
However, since the weather is nice and it is high season for New Orleans, prices will be higher.
Weekends to Avoid due to Prices
Even though hotels and airlines slash prices to New Orleans during the summer, that doesn’t mean there aren’t weekends with sky-high prices.
During the summer, many large festivals and conferences draw large crowds. Luckily this drives up tourism numbers, but the average price of hotels increases during these festivals.
It is a popular time for conventions to come into town and New Orleanians to book hotel rooms in the city. With an influx of visitors, prices can fluctuate higher.
Football Season in the Fall is another time that drives prices up on the weekends – traveling during the week in September can keep costs down.
| Weekend | Festival or Event | Why hotels may be higher |
| 4th of July | Essence Festival | Essence Music Festival is a party with a purpose that draws more than half of a million attendees. |
| Labor Day | Southern Decadence Fest | Southern Decadence Fest attracts 100,000-300,000 attendees. |
| Home Saints Football Games | Saints Football | People come from all over to support their football teams, local and far! |
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New Orleans Low Season
Typically, summer is thought of as the off-season in New Orleans – and it is because of the heat and high humidity. But there are a few other times of the year that New Orleans has lulls throughout the year.
If you are not interested in visiting during the peak Summer months, these different low weeks may appeal to you. Some cooler, early spring and winter months are included.
| Weeks to visit | Pro to Visit | Weekends to Skip for High Prices |
| Mid-January – Mid February | You can eat King Cake and participate in some of the local Mardi Gras Celebrations. | 5 days before and after Mardi Gras |
| Between French Quarter Fest and Jazz Fest | A beautiful pocket of weather between two of the largest festivals. | Easter Weekend |
| October | New Orleans weather is the best during October | Halloween weekend & any home Saints Games |
| November | Sweater Weather Begins | Thanksgiving weekend & any home Saints Games |
| December | The City gets cooler for winter, and Christmas Decorations are put up. | Christmas weekend & any home Saints Games |
Average New Orleans Trips Cost
The trip cost to New Orleans can vary based on your taste and how many people you are traveling with. Two people traveling together in a standard double-occupancy room should expect to spend between $191-215 per person per day for food, transportation, hotel, and activities.
Hotel Rates in New Orleans
New Orleans has several places for people to stay, from stunning five-star hotels like the Four Seasons to your typical family hotels like a Holiday Inn Vacation Club.
Hotels can range anywhere from $74-$318 per night, depending on the time of year. You will spend at least $100 a night on hotels during Peak Season.
New Orleans Flight Providers
New Orleans has several airline providers that fly into the city year-round at the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport. A great way to save money when coming to New Orleans is to book a flight on points.
Depending on where you are flying from, you can easily book on a primary carrier like American Airlines, Delta, or Southwest.
Top Tips for Cheap Travel To New Orleans
If you are looking for a few tips on traveling cheaply to New Orleans, check out these tips below! Just remember – when planning a trip to New Orleans, it is all about the food, experience, and culture!
1. Book Early
Like any trip, you want to book early for the best cost savings. The best way to get advice and determine when to book is with a Local Travel Agency – Sunset Chasers.
2. Travel During the Week
Weekends are always more expensive – No matter what.
Friday night and Saturday night have higher prices. If you want to use your vacation days, plan to come to Monday-Friday so you can experience a little bit of everything New Orleans has to offer.
3. Book an Affordable Hotel
Contrary to popular beliefs, there are affordable hotels in New Orleans! You can always ask the front desk if any upgrades are available – and they might be – since occupancy is historically low during the summer.
To save a little bit on lodging, I recommend making hotel reservations in the Central Business District or Warehouse district instead of the French Quarter. My Next tip will tell you why!
4. Explore by Foot
During the day, you can explore everything on foot. Be smart when planning your itinerary – you do not want to have a hotel in the Central Business District, a walking guided tour in the Garden District, and Lunch in the Marigny.
You will not be able to physically (or safely) walk to all those places in a short time.
5. Use Cheap Transport
If you cannot walk on foot, use cheap transport like public transportation ride shares are great, but you can take the Streetcar for only a few dollars.
Go to the Westbank on the Algiers Ferry for only $2, or even rent a blue bike to get some distance. When all else fails, renting an uber or Lyft is cheaper than a cab for most places.
6. Check out Cheap and Free Things to do
There are so many, about 99+, Free and Cheap things to do in New Orleans! You could pop into St. Louis Cathedral for a short tour.
You were grabbing a beignet and finding the perfect place to watch barges steer down the Mississippi River.
7. Dine at Delicious Restaurants at lunch
Most fine dining local restaurants have cheaper meals and smaller portions for lunch. Lunch is a great way to experience fine dining in New Orleans – while also eating everything in sight.
If you are visiting during August, watch out for Coolinary – a month-long culinary adventure to get discounts on lunch and dinner across the city. It is a discount that the local foodies just love using to try new to them restaurants!
8. Attend a Happy Hour
Happy Hours are available all year round. Whether you are looking for a good deal or a great place to eat – I love hitting up the happy hour at Brennan’s.
Drinks and food cost around $7 each, and many food offerings are enough to hold you over until dinner.
9. Get Travel Insurance for Peak Hurricane Season in New Orleans
The Summer time is synonym with hurricane season. Even though you might plan a quick, cheap getaway to New Orleans, you may want to invest in Travel Insurance to protect yourself if a hurricane pops up in the South.
10. Enjoy Free Live Music
Yes – Free Live Music! New Orleans has free live music everywhere, from street performers to bars.
Find a local watering hole and listen to some of the most fantastic music.
Make sure you catch some New Orleans Jazz while you are in town my recommendation is Fritzels on Bourbon Street
11. Take a Free walking tour.
New Orleans has a company called free tours by foot – and even though the tours are technically free, it is better to tip around $10 per person per tour. Either way that is an excellent deal for a walking tour in the garden district or cemetery..
12. Explore City Park
Many amenities in City Park are free or inexpensive, so visiting City Park is a great way to save money on your trip! T
here are large oak trees, so even on hot days, you can find a way to cool down at City Park. City Park is the best if you plan on doing any outdoor activities while in New Orleans.
September – My Pick for favorite Month to Visit
If I were planning to visit New Orleans on a budget, I would come in Mid-September. September is a great month to see because the summer heat and humidity is dwindling, fall festival season is beginning, and it is one of the cheapest months to visit.
You can expect some days of good weather and shouldn’t expect temperatures to hit in the 90s. The Crescent City is beginning to enter into some of its best weather once Fall starts to hit.
I would stay in the Warehouse District, so it is easy to walk to the French Quarter, but you are also more central to visiting the Uptown and Garden District neighborhoods.
September is still warm. The average temperature ranges from the 80s to the 90s, with some 70s at night. Sweater weather is not a thing down here – yet!
But make sure you pack appropriate clothes to be comfortable on your trip.
Peak Hurricane season has passed. Even though a hurricane can still happen in late September and October, there is statistically less of a chance for it to happen in September.
Cheapest time to Visit New Orleans
New Orleans is a fun place to visit whether you are looking for places to eat, museums, or festivals to jam out to. If you have never been to New Orleans, now is the perfect time to come to the Crescent City!
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