New Orleans Travel options—cost

[HkyMtneer]

I prefer to drive as well. It’s a 12 hour trip to Boone but I would rather drive than fly. I drove to Mobile from Tampa for the DG Bowl. Drove up, got dinner, went to the game, drove home. Did the same thing for SC this year.

The worst stretch of driving out of Tampa is the initial leg out of Florida. It was always miserable whether you choose 301 or I-4. Depending on when I was heading down there or back up, sometimes I would choose to go through Atlanta to I 75 as the traffic issues between Hilton Head and Columbia would cost me so much time.

I would never take I-4. I use 301 from Ocala to Callahan and US 1 from Callahan to I 95. They just opened a bypass around Starke which easily shaves about 10 minutes. They moved the on ramp to I 10 from 301 to the right side so it isn’t as long of a wait.

We spent last Christmas down on the beach at Treasure Island and they were deep in on the bypass construction around Starke, but even then you could tell it was going to do a good job shaving some time off the stop-and-go through there.

[AppSt94]

I prefer to drive as well. It’s a 12 hour trip to Boone but I would rather drive than fly. I drove to Mobile from Tampa for the DG Bowl. Drove up, got dinner, went to the game, drove home. Did the same thing for SC this year.

The worst stretch of driving out of Tampa is the initial leg out of Florida. It was always miserable whether you choose 301 or I-4. Depending on when I was heading down there or back up, sometimes I would choose to go through Atlanta to I 75 as the traffic issues between Hilton Head and Columbia would cost me so much time.

I would never take I-4. I use 301 from Ocala to Callahan and US 1 from Callahan to I 95. They just opened a bypass around Starke which easily shaves about 10 minutes. They moved the on ramp to I 10 from 301 to the right side so it isn’t as long of a wait.

We spent last Christmas down on the beach at Treasure Island and they were deep in on the bypass construction around Starke, but even then you could tell it was going to do a good job shaving some time off the stop-and-go through there.

TI is near me. I live on the southern end of the Skyway Bridge.

[HkyMtneer]

I prefer to drive as well. It’s a 12 hour trip to Boone but I would rather drive than fly. I drove to Mobile from Tampa for the DG Bowl. Drove up, got dinner, went to the game, drove home. Did the same thing for SC this year.

The worst stretch of driving out of Tampa is the initial leg out of Florida. It was always miserable whether you choose 301 or I-4. Depending on when I was heading down there or back up, sometimes I would choose to go through Atlanta to I 75 as the traffic issues between Hilton Head and Columbia would cost me so much time.

I would never take I-4. I use 301 from Ocala to Callahan and US 1 from Callahan to I 95. They just opened a bypass around Starke which easily shaves about 10 minutes. They moved the on ramp to I 10 from 301 to the right side so it isn’t as long of a wait.

We spent last Christmas down on the beach at Treasure Island and they were deep in on the bypass construction around Starke, but even then you could tell it was going to do a good job shaving some time off the stop-and-go through there.

TI is near me. I live on the southern end of the Skyway Bridge.

Nice! We really like that area - we stayed at Sunset Vistas for about a week last Christmas and my wife and I literally took all of our Christmas Gifts for each other out on the beach. We popped up our setup, I put on a Santa Beard and she put on some light-up Reindeer antlers, and we enjoyed our Christmas...with a few bottles of wine and in board shorts. It was fantastic! We wanted to make it happen again this year, in that post-Christmas to New Year's timeframe, but I couldn't find a rate I was comfortable with this go-around so I guess we'll go another direction.

[McLeansvilleAppFan]

I looked ar Amtrak and it was $150 (each way I think) and about a 15 hour trip.
Thanks.

Thanks for considering Amtrak!!

[BayouApp]

Good idea on the packages. Probably worth checking packages on multiple airlines and travel sites since some have seat blocks as part of their package agreements.

[wncapp78]

If anyone is within distance to Nashville TN, you can grab a Friday-Sunday round trip to NOLA on Spirit Air for $75.

[bigdaddyg]

Ok might bite the bullet and take my son. I tried to read all of the posts. Flying out of RDU Monday. Game and hotel then back next morning. That’s basically a 24 hour whirlwind I know. Give me a good hotel, preferably reasonable where App folks are staying. Where is everyone partying pre game? How is the best way to secure tickets?

[appstatealum]

Ok might bite the bullet and take my son. I tried to read all of the posts. Flying out of RDU Monday. Game and hotel then back next morning. That’s basically a 24 hour whirlwind I know. Give me a good hotel, preferably reasonable where App folks are staying. Where is everyone partying pre game? How is the best way to secure tickets?

Team hotel is Marriott off Canal. Any hotel on Canal is good. Crown Plaza had good rates last I checked. All hotels are walkable to the Superdome or a super quick Uber.

There are so many events pregame, at the Superdome and around the Quarter. Last year, you would've been hard pressed not to run into an APP fan at every corner of the FQ area. Have fun and enjoy. It really is a great time and I can't wait for next week.

[HkyMtneer]

Someday, someone is going to have to explain to me exactly who among us takes "advantage" of the App State Sports Tour packages promoted by the athletic department through SET. I've yet to see, through how ever many years that SET has provided services for us, any option they have offered that couldn't be done in the exact same manner for less than half their asking price. Is our athletic department really getting that big of a cut? I mean, I assume we (ASU & specifically ASU Athletics) are getting at least 25 or 30% right off the top, otherwise, we're getting ripped off. They are offering a $99 package that includes the pre-game alumni event in the dome and a bus ride from the Marriott to the Dome and back at the end of the evening. Assuming the alumni event charges what they did last year then you are literally paying $50+ for a 1-mile ride each way. Again, if ASU is getting say $25 or $30 of that amount...then great and I feel a bit better about someone "overspending" to help fund the department and pay our bills. No different than people buying tickets and eating them, or anything along those lines. But if we're getting $5 out of it - then we're being taken by this third party company. Ultimately, I could care less about what people do with their money, and Lord knows I've done some silly stuff, but I'd like to think that using SET for these tours is more about truly making money for App than it is SET providing a financial value for the customer, because that is certainly not something I've seen from them.

[AppSt94]

Ok might bite the bullet and take my son. I tried to read all of the posts. Flying out of RDU Monday. Game and hotel then back next morning. That’s basically a 24 hour whirlwind I know. Give me a good hotel, preferably reasonable where App folks are staying. Where is everyone partying pre game? How is the best way to secure tickets?

If you aren’t interested in the night life and want convenient, the Hyatt Regency is locates just across the street from the Dome and is in walking distance of the French Quarter.

[Gonzo]

Please share any good flight or travel cost options to/from New Orleans.
I’m finding round trip air is about $450-500 from multiple airports. I looked ar Amtrak and it was $150 (each way I think) and about a 15 hour trip.
Thanks. Go Apos! 1-0.

I'm driving from Charlotte to Raleigh, flying Spirit round trip from Fri-Mon. With bag fees it was still expensive ($400). Our crew is saving big on lodging (airbnb that's $75/person for the whole weekend) so it balanced out.

Last year I booked before the SBC Champ game on Allegiant out of Concord and made out like a bandit for something like $150 round trip. This is actually my third trip to New Orleans in a year and the most I've paid for a flight by far.

[bigdaddyg]

Ok might bite the bullet and take my son. I tried to read all of the posts. Flying out of RDU Monday. Game and hotel then back next morning. That’s basically a 24 hour whirlwind I know. Give me a good hotel, preferably reasonable where App folks are staying. Where is everyone partying pre game? How is the best way to secure tickets?

Team hotel is Marriott off Canal. Any hotel on Canal is good. Crown Plaza had good rates last I checked. All hotels are walkable to the Superdome or a super quick Uber.

There are so many events pregame, at the Superdome and around the Quarter. Last year, you would've been hard pressed not to run into an APP fan at every corner of the FQ area. Have fun and enjoy. It really is a great time and I can't wait for next week.

I am getting a quote for $119 for one night (23rd) at the Marriott. Anyone else getting that rate?

[appstatealum]

Someday, someone is going to have to explain to me exactly who among us takes "advantage" of the App State Sports Tour packages promoted by the athletic department through SET. I've yet to see, through how ever many years that SET has provided services for us, any option they have offered that couldn't be done in the exact same manner for less than half their asking price. Is our athletic department really getting that big of a cut? I mean, I assume we (ASU & specifically ASU Athletics) are getting at least 25 or 30% right off the top, otherwise, we're getting ripped off. They are offering a $99 package that includes the pre-game alumni event in the dome and a bus ride from the Marriott to the Dome and back at the end of the evening. Assuming the alumni event charges what they did last year then you are literally paying $50+ for a 1-mile ride each way. Again, if ASU is getting say $25 or $30 of that amount...then great and I feel a bit better about someone "overspending" to help fund the department and pay our bills. No different than people buying tickets and eating them, or anything along those lines. But if we're getting $5 out of it - then we're being taken by this third party company. Ultimately, I could care less about what people do with their money, and Lord knows I've done some silly stuff, but I'd like to think that using SET for these tours is more about truly making money for App than it is SET providing a financial value for the customer, because that is certainly not something I've seen from them.

I am always shocked by how much “large organizations” pay for package deals. I work at one of the largest companies in the US and when our leadership personnel have our semiannual meetings in a given city, we bring over 1000 people and take over a few hotels, usually fully booking the one where our conference is. When I expense my room and see the rate we negotiated, it’s more than what I could’ve found on the internet or negotiated in less than a minute. You would think that a group rate on top of how much money we are spending on renting the banquet area and catering that we would negotiate a decent price on rooms.

My wife said if I ever won the lottery or made substantial salary one day, that I would still be negotiating deals on everything I bought and would still shop from the 70% off rack at Kohl’s. She is right.

[AppSt94]

Ok might bite the bullet and take my son. I tried to read all of the posts. Flying out of RDU Monday. Game and hotel then back next morning. That’s basically a 24 hour whirlwind I know. Give me a good hotel, preferably reasonable where App folks are staying. Where is everyone partying pre game? How is the best way to secure tickets?

Team hotel is Marriott off Canal. Any hotel on Canal is good. Crown Plaza had good rates last I checked. All hotels are walkable to the Superdome or a super quick Uber.

There are so many events pregame, at the Superdome and around the Quarter. Last year, you would've been hard pressed not to run into an APP fan at every corner of the FQ area. Have fun and enjoy. It really is a great time and I can't wait for next week.

I am getting a quote for $119 for one night (23rd) at the Marriott. Anyone else getting that rate?

Sounds about right. There $50 a day parking fee made it a hard no for me. But if you are not driving, it doesn’t really matter.

[HkyMtneer]

Ok might bite the bullet and take my son. I tried to read all of the posts. Flying out of RDU Monday. Game and hotel then back next morning. That’s basically a 24 hour whirlwind I know. Give me a good hotel, preferably reasonable where App folks are staying. Where is everyone partying pre game? How is the best way to secure tickets?

Team hotel is Marriott off Canal. Any hotel on Canal is good. Crown Plaza had good rates last I checked. All hotels are walkable to the Superdome or a super quick Uber.

There are so many events pregame, at the Superdome and around the Quarter. Last year, you would've been hard pressed not to run into an APP fan at every corner of the FQ area. Have fun and enjoy. It really is a great time and I can't wait for next week.

I am getting a quote for $119 for one night (23rd) at the Marriott. Anyone else getting that rate?

Sounds about right. There $50 a day parking fee made it a hard no for me. But if you are not driving, it doesn’t really matter.

You can also always secure some off-site parking and uber/walk over to your hotel of choice via some of the parking apps. I've done it a few times in NOLA and as long as you're not needing access to your vehicle during your stay and not taking too much luggage it's not a bad deal at all. I've parked at a deck over near the WWII Center and another one near Tulane Medical Center...both about a 5-minute ride from Canal, 7-8 minutes from most hotels in the FQ, and never paid more than $10 per day average.

[BullCityApp8]

I was able to grab a room for 3 nights at the Hyatt Regency.
$281.43 on Hotwire (Hot Rate 4-star Hotel)

[Seattleapp]

It’s 600 miles from Knoxville to New Orleans. May have to throw the app flags on and just hit the open road

[bigdaddyg]

I have never flown Spirit Air. Love the initial flight cost but that bag fee is ridiculous. I am cheap but am curious. If I am able to go and fly down the day of the game and fly back the next morning I really don't need much in the way of clothes. Does Spirit charge for any carry on? I really hate to pay an extra $200 for my son and myself to bring two small carry bags basically with toiletries and underwear!!

[Hudson2002]

I've never flown Spirit, but my understanding is you can take a personal item like a backpack at no charge, but you'll be charged if you have an actual carry on luggage bag. Someone correct me if I'm wrong. I would just throw what you need in a backpack and be done.

[bigdaddyg]

I've never flown Spirit, but my understanding is you can take a personal item like a backpack at no charge, but you'll be charged if you have an actual carry on luggage bag. Someone correct me if I'm wrong. I would just throw what you need in a backpack and be done.

I just googled the policy and I believe that to be the case. That would be the plan to just throw the essentials in a backpack and roll on. Seems crazy to pay about $400 for two tickets then another $200 just for a couple of carry on bags. Guess that is how they make it up.