Immigration queues arriving at New Orleans MSY airport

Question

We are arriving from London on Friday evening. I have a US passport but my partner has a UK passport. Sometimes he is allowed through with me but if he isn’t, are the international immigration queues long? As there don’t seem to be many international flights arriving I’m hoping that the queues are shorted than DFW or JFK

Answer

Arriving at New Orleans Louis Armstrong Airport (MSY) from an international flight, such as from London, typically involves a few key things to consider, especially with one passenger having a US passport and the other holding a UK passport.

Since you have a US passport, you'll likely go through the expedited US citizens line, which can be faster. However, for your partner with a UK passport, the situation might be a bit different. Here are a few things to keep in mind:

Immigration Queues: MSY is a smaller airport compared to major hubs like JFK or DFW, so the international immigration lines tend to be shorter overall. There are still queues, especially in the evening when multiple international flights might arrive, but MSY is generally much quicker than the larger airports in the US.
UK Passport Holders: For your partner, as a UK passport holder, he will likely need to go through the non-US citizens' line, which may take longer. This can vary depending on the time of day and how many international flights arrive at the same time. On an average Friday evening, it’s likely to be somewhat busy but manageable.
Global Entry: If your partner has Global Entry, this would expedite the process significantly, allowing him to skip the regular queue. It’s always worth considering if you travel internationally often.
Time of Arrival: If you’re arriving on a Friday evening, there could be a moderate to busy crowd, but since MSY doesn't handle the same volume of international flights as larger airports, the wait times tend to be shorter. You may experience a bit of a wait at immigration, but it shouldn't be nearly as long as what you might face at JFK or DFW.

Overall, while queues at immigration can vary, New Orleans is known for having a relatively quick process compared to the bigger international hubs. Just ensure that your partner is prepared to go through the standard immigration procedures, and you should be able to get through without too much hassle.

Safe travels to New Orleans, and enjoy your time in the city!