Uber and Lyft prices in New Orleans

What rides cost in New Orleans by distance, ride type and route, with the airports and self-driving services that serve it.

Check a trip in New Orleans

What a ride costs in New Orleans

Trip	UberX	Lyft	UberXL	Taxi
Short hop 2 miles, about 8 minutes	$13–18	$12–15	$18–26	$9–11
Across town 5 miles, about 16 minutes	$18–26	$16–21	$26–38	$17–19
Longer ride 10 miles, about 25 minutes	$29–41	$26–33	$41–60	$28–33

Estimates for a weekday around midday, using rates tuned to recent prices in New Orleans.Airport fees, tolls and tips are extra. .

Price by ride type

For a 5-mile, 16-minute trip in New Orleans.

Ride type	Uber	Lyft
Saver	$16–23 Wait & Save · 4 seats	$14–18 Wait & Save · 4 seats
Standard	$18–26 UberX · 4 seats	$16–21 Lyft · 4 seats
Faster	$22–31 Priority · 4 seats	$19–24 Priority Pickup · 4 seats
Comfort	$23–33 Comfort · 4 seats	$23–28 Extra Comfort · 4 seats
XL	$26–38 UberXL · 6 seats	$23–29 Lyft XL · 5 seats
Premium	$38–55 Black · 4 seats	$40–51 Black · 4 seats
Premium XL	$49–72 Black SUV · 6 seats	$49–62 Black SUV · 5 seats
Pet	$21–30 Uber Pet · 4 seats	–

Popular routes from MSY

Route	Distance	Time	UberX	Lyft
MSY to French Quarter	16.0 mi	23 min	$41–57	$38–46
MSY to Garden District	16.2 mi	23 min	$41–58	$38–47
MSY to Caesars Superdome	14.3 mi	18 min	$37–51	$34–41
MSY to Warehouse District	15.4 mi	21 min	$39–55	$36–45
MSY to Tulane University	14.8 mi	25 min	$40–56	$37–45
MSY to Frenchmen Street	15.0 mi	20 min	$38–54	$36–43

All rides at MSY

Taxi rates in New Orleans

Taxi meters follow rates set by City of New Orleans Ground Transportation Bureau (City Code Sec. 162-745 and 162-753). They do not surge, which makes a taxi worth checking when ride apps are busy.

Initial charge	$3.50 (includes the first 0.125 mile)
Each mile	$2.40
Each minute stopped or in slow traffic	$0.45
Additional passenger	$1.00 Each extra passenger: per passenger after the first on regular trips
Gasoline surcharge	$1.00 Every trip: per completed trip, authorized until December 31, 2027
Airport to or from New Orleans (1 or 2 passengers)	$36.00 flat ($15.00 per passenger for 3 or more passengers; east of Elysian Fields add the meter from that line; Westbank is $36.00 plus meter from the toll plaza)

From the regulator's published rates. In effect since 2015-09. Last checked October 11, 2026. Taxis here can be booked with Curb. Meter rates date from 2015, time charge is $0.30 per 40 seconds whenever speed is below 1/8 mile per 40 seconds, and the $1.00 gasoline surcharge was re-authorized through 2027 by an ordinance adopted 9 July 2026. Source. .

Self-driving rides in New Orleans

Service	Status	Vehicle	Book with	Airports	Riders since
Waymo	Announced	Safety monitor on board	Waymo app	–	–

Self-driving rides in New Orleans: map, prices and how to ride

Common questions

How much does an Uber cost in New Orleans?

We estimate UberX at $13–18 for a 2-mile trip, $18–26 for 5 miles and $29–41 for 10 miles around midday on a weekday. Busy times cost more.

Is Uber or Lyft cheaper in New Orleans?

They are usually close. For a 5-mile trip we estimate UberX at $18–26 and Lyft at $16–21. Either can be cheaper at a given moment, so compare both.

How much is an Uber from MSY airport?

From MSY to French Quarter we estimate UberX at $41–57 and Lyft at $38–46, airport fee included.

Are there self-driving rides in New Orleans?

Not yet. No self-driving service we track carries riders in New Orleans today.