Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport

New Orleans Airport really wants you to visit

Airport Terminals,

We keep track of the airports that offer gate pass programs that allow non-ticketed visitors to go past security and hang out at the airport.

You can see the full list here.

At these airports, you can be at the gate to meet a friend or family member arriving on a flight.

You can spend every last second with someone until they have to board their flight, instead of saying goodbye at the curb or the security checkpoint.

Or you can just go and hang out at the airport by yourself or with a friend and shop, eat, watch planes do their thing, listen to live music or have a date night.

These are all things we’ve done on daycations with our gate passes at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA), Nashville International Airport (BNA) and elsewhere.

The newest airport to offer a gate pass program is Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE).

But here’s news from Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY), which has offered its Indulge MSY Guest Pass for some time.

The airport is upgrading the Indulge MSY Guest Pass program to make it even easier for non-ticketed guests to access areas beyond the security checkpoint.

Now, in addition to signing up online, eligible guests can use a self-service in-terminal kiosk and get a pass within minutes.

That means it’s even easier to get access to live music and more than 40 dining and shopping options, including local favorites like Emeril’s Table, MoPho, and Fleurty Girl at MSY.

The self-service kiosk is on Level 1 of baggage claim, between doors 2 and 3.

Entry requires standard security screening through the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) general boarding lanes, and guests aged 18 and older must present a valid REAL ID or passport.

The Indulge MSY Guest Pass program is available daily until 8 p.m.

We’re making this the Airport Amenity of the Week.

Fresh airport amenities. And Super Bowl plans.

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SEA Airport gets a retro arcade

A retro-arcade-themed gaming center with food and beverages just opened at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA).

And we’re planning to get to the airport extremely early for our flight this week so we can test it out.

The arcade, in the SEA N Concourse, is called Sky Gamerz and it has food and drinks as well as retro games played on vintage Atari 2600 consoles including Miss Pac-Man, Dig Dug and Donkey Kong.

Airlines adding Super Bowl Flights & the New Orleans airport is ready for them

The Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles are heading to New Orleans to face off in Super Bowl LIX on February 9.

Whether or not they have tickets to the big game, thousands of fans will be heading that way too. And the major airlines are adding flights to help them get into and out of The Big Easy.

Some of those flights have special custom numbers for those in the know.

Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) is ready to welcome the fans.

And some flight deals for people – and their pets

The Stuck at the Airport team has February flights plans that include Sydney, Australia, so we’re pleased to see that Air New Zealand has a flight sale starting January 28, with discounted economy fares from cities like Los Angeles to Sydney starting at just $848 and from San Francisco to Sydney at just $998. Premium Economy and Business class tickets are on sale too.

Bark Air – which offers flights for dogs and their people – has a flight news too.

Bark Air is a charter air service for dogs and their humans operating flights between New York and Los Angeles, Paris and London using Gulfstream G5 and G4 jets and flying to and from secondary airports, such as Westchester County Airport in White Plains (HPN), Van Nuys Airport (VNY) near Los Angeles and Standsted Airport (STN) near London.

Air fare on these flights start at $6,000 for a pet and a person, but over the President’s Day weekend, February 13-17, Bark Air is offering some less expensive flights at $1000 and below on larger CRJ-200 aircraft between New York Teterboro Airport (TEB) and Fort Lauderdale International Airport (FLL).

Travel Tidbits from Airports Near You

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Here’s a quick roundup of fun posts and new amenities recently spotted at airports.

New York’s Albany International Airport (ALB) is getting ready for all the travelers who will be arriving for the Belmont Stakes horse race in Saratoga on June 8.

They’ve set up a selfie station with a horse statue just past the security checkpoint.

Party on!

Airports often put together a gate-side celebration when an airline kicks off a new route. But Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) does it especially well.

We’ve been watching these Jabbrrbox workspace pods sprout at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) over the past few months and have yet to try them out. Given how busy the airport is this season, though, we’re sure travelers with work to do or important calls to take will find them useful.

We’re keeping an eye out for the colorful posts from airports in support of Pride Month.

Vancouver International Airport (YVR) is lighting up its tower with a two-fer in support of Indigenous History Month AND Pride Month.

And we got a kick out of this TSA post recognizing National Hug Your Cat Day. Is that even a real thing?

PHL Airport will soon offer a gate pass program

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In November, Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) will join the list of airports that offer post-security access to non-ticketed airport visitors.

With the Wingmate Pass, anyone will be able to accompany a friend or family member to their gate, welcome an arriving passenger as they leave the plane, or visit the airport’s restaurants, bars, shops, art exhibits, pop-up installations, and activities.

The airport also plans to offer dining and shopping deals just for Wingmate guests.  

Wingmate Pass wanna-bees will need to apply for a pass online, at the PHL.org website. Requests can be entered on the day of your planned visit or up to 7 days in advance. And, if the Transportation Security Administration approves your application, you’ll get a digital Wingmate Pass via email to show at the D/E or A-East security checkpoint, along with your government ID.

What other airports offer day passes?

We’re happy to report that PHL’s Wingmate Pass program joins a growing list of other airport gate pass programs.

That list includes:

Visitor Pass program at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA),

Experience MCO Visitor Pass program for the new Terminal C at Orlando International Airport (MCO),

The MSY Guest Pass Program at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY),

The DTW Destination Pass at Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW),

Capital Region International Airport (LAN) in Lansing, MI: the LAN Visitor Pass,

the OC Air Pass at John Wayne Airport (SNA) in Orange County, CA,

the ONT+ Visitor Pass Program at California’s Ontario International Airport (ONT),

and the PSC Pass at Tri-Cities Airport (PSC) in Pasco, WA.

Are we missing any? Let us know.

Another airport adds a gate pass program

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A growing number of airports make it easy for the non-traveling public to get visitor passes to the secure side of the passenger terminal.

That makes it possible to meet arriving friends and family at the gate or to spend more time with someone before they board a flight.

It also means that you don’t need to be flying somewhere to check out a new terminal, tap your toes to the live music at the airport, see some great art, do a little shopping, or spend time watching planes take off and land.

Each airport has its own name for the service and its own rules regarding how many non-ticketed visitors are allowed to be issued a pass each day they are offered. And at each airport that offers the service, passengers must still go through the security checkpoint.

The list of airports offering this great airport amenity includes:

Seattle Tacoma International Airport (SEA): SEA Visitor Pass Program

The MSY Guest Pass Program at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY),

Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW),

Capital Region International Airport (LAN) in Lansing, MI: the LAN Visitor Pass,

the OC Air Pass at John Wayne Airport (SNA) in Orange County, CA,

and the ONT+ Visitor Pass Program at California’s Ontario International Airport (ONT).

New to the list: Washington’s Tri-Cities Airport

Now more – and smaller – airports are joining the list.

The latest is the Tri-Cities Airport (PSC) in Pasco, WA.

For now, only 10 visitors are able to get a PSC Pass each day. And each visitor may request just one visit per month. But, as with the other airport gate pass programs, it allows non-travelers to surprise an arriving passenger at the gate or send someone off at the gate with a last-minute hug.

Did we miss an airport with a gate pass program? Let us know and we’ll add it to the list.