Depending on when you flip to this page, kickoff for the grandest spectacle in North American sport – Super Bowl LIX – is still a whopping total of 271 NFL games away.
Yet, at the Port of South Louisiana Executive Regional Airport (KAPS), officials have already devised a multi-layered gameplan to handle the massive influx of traffic – specifically, private air travel – that will descend upon the entire New Orleans metro area in early February for the big game.
In total, this will mark New Orleans’ record-tying 11th time hosting the Super Bowl, the last occurring on Feb. 3, 2013, when the Baltimore Ravens held off a late rally from the San Francisco 49ers to win 34-31.
While the highlights of that fairly recent game remain vivid for most football fans, the contest took place six months and six days prior to KAPS’ initial runway extension ribbon cutting in August 2013 – an improvement which finally made landing and takeoff in the River Parishes an option for small private planes and corporate jets.
That’s not to say airport operators haven’t seen and handled upticks in traffic before. Beyond standard private corporate travel for those who have plants or other operations within the Port District, KAPS also handles tourism-related travel during carnival season and the spring festival months.
Brian Cox, Chief Operating Officer at the Port of South Louisiana, also noted that KAPS welcomed a surge of out-of-town private air traffic back in April 2022 when the Caesars Superdome hosted the NCAA men’s basketball Final Four.
“We are expecting a much larger overflow for the Super Bowl,” Cox said.
Statistics certainly back Cox’s statement.
According to the Common Sense Institute of Arizona, an independent financial watchdog group, approximately 75,000 out-of-region travelers came to metropolitan Phoenix for the 2024 Final Four in April 2024. Compared that to the 475,000 out-of-region travelers that journeyed to Las Vegas for the most-recent Super Bowl in February and, well, there’s really no comparison, as the entire week leading up to the Super Bowl is filled with a cornucopia of corporate events, fan activities and lavish parties.
Business flight tracker WingX recorded that 882 private planes left Las Vegas in the 24-hour span following the final whistle of the Super Bowl. The previous year, the number was 931. And, keep in mind, many corporate leaders and celebrities who travel privately, often come for the ‘Super Bowl Week’ festivities but don’t stick around for the game itself.
Recognizing the challenge that hosting such a well-attended event presents, Port officials have already begun working in collaboration with Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport and Lakefront Airport to accommodate the expected sudden rush of private aircraft entering the area in February 2025.
“We have been in contact with MSY and plan to have a meeting in the near future,” Cox said. “Given the proximity of KAPS and MSY it makes sense for us to coordinate efforts. The plan is to coordinate the overflow to KAPS once MSY reaches capacity.”
To ensure safe travel in and out of KAPS, the Port is currently installing new lighted taxiway signage that make on-ground navigation easier and clearer for pilots and will restripe markings on both the taxiways and runway.
In order to maximize aircraft parking, KAPS officials will layout designated, non-hangar spots that can be reserved in advance – just one of several new features the Port will actively market to out-of-town travelers. The Port has also already received inquiries from private jet chartering services like Wheels Up and NetJets regarding Super Bowl week accommodations and intends to bring in a second fuel truck to meet the increased demand.
Hosting an event of the Super Bowl’s stature in New Orleans also presents KAPS a golden opportunity to showcase the multiple additions and improvements made to the facility since the Port assumed operational authority in the early 2010s. That includes a new terminal building that’s backed up with generator power, a state-of-the-art weather information software system, and of course the Port’s short-term and long-term protected plane storage hangars outfitted to house a multitude of aircraft.
“The Port is extremely excited and proud to show our improvements and capabilities at KAPS,” Cox said. “We are continuing to expand and invest in the region, a runway extension of 1500’ is in the works, a new state of the art Terminal building, and a community hangar with space for classes and seminars.”
