Lakefront Airport's History

On February 10, 1934 more than 10,000 visitors from the United States, foreign countries and local New Orleanians attended the dedication of an airport that was to be "the Air Hub of the Americas".

New Orleans Lakefront Airport was built adjacent to the Industrial Canal, on a man-made arrowhead peninsula jutting into Lake Pontchartrain. To make land available for this elaborate project, the Orleans Levee Board drove a 10,000 foot retaining wall into Lake Pontchartrain and pumped in six million cubic yards of hydraulic fill to raise the field above the water.

Built at a cost of $4.5 million, the airport had a field measuring 3,000 feet long, thus qualifying for the U.S. Department of Commerce's highest rating, AA-I. Not only was the field considered the standard for the times but the art deco airport itself was considered a wonder of architecture and decor.

Lakefront Airport Today

In the 1950's, New Orleans Lakefront was designated as a general aviation airport. However, as a part of the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems, the Airport continued to expand to meet new demands. Runways and taxiways were added, lengthened, and straightened.

The three new runways serve private, corporate, and military, and commercial air carrier aircraft. U.S. Customs and Agriculture is available 24 Hours a day. A new FAA Control Tower was built in 1988.

The 6,895 foot main runway is routinely used by B-727's, B-737's, C-130's, and occasionally C-17's and C-5's. New Orleans Lakefront Airport remains one of the busiest airports in Louisiana.