---
type: Airport Family Guide
title: "New Orleans MSY Airport with Kids: Every Family Facility, Mapped"
description: "MSY has 3 Mother's Rooms, 2 adult changing tables, no play area and no sensory room. Verified against flymsy.com August 2026."
resource: https://www.velivolotravel.com/family-airport-guide/new-orleans-louis-armstrong-international-airport-msy
tags: [airport, family, travel, MSY, us-south]
timestamp: 2026-08-04
---

# New Orleans MSY Airport with Kids: Every Family Facility, Mapped

**Short answer:** MSY has no children's play area, but its single 35-gate terminal keeps things simple: one Mother's Room per concourse past security, two adult changing tables, and family restrooms beside most restroom blocks. One consolidated checkpoint serves all three concourses, and the terminal runs 24 hours a day.

**Velivolo family score:** 5/10 (Fair)

New Orleans' Louis Armstrong terminal, opened in 2019, was built without architectural barriers and funnels everyone through one security checkpoint into three concourses. There's a Mother's Room on each concourse and two documented adult changing tables — one before security, one past it near Shake Shack — plus family restrooms beside most ordinary restrooms terminal-wide. What's missing is a children's play area of any kind and any sensory room; MSY offers a Hidden Disabilities lanyard programme instead.

## Quick facts

- MSY has one Mother's Room on each of its three concourses, all past the single consolidated checkpoint, though the airport gives no gate references for any of them.
- MSY's two adult changing tables sit in family restrooms: one on Level 2 to the right of the checkpoint, and one past security next to Shake Shack.
- MSY has no children's play area anywhere in the terminal — its own amenities listing, which it calls a complete inventory, names none.
- MSY's single checkpoint makes an explicit exception to the ticketed-passenger rule for travellers with specific medical or parental needs.
- Free Hidden Disabilities sunflower lanyards and bracelets are available at the Customer Service Desk by Baggage Claim on Level 1, staffed 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.

## Facility matrix

| Facility | Status | Terminals | Security side | Hours | Age limit | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Children's play area | none | — | unknown | — | — | n/a |
| Nursing / lactation room | available | One on each concourse | post-security | Not published | — | free |
| Family / companion-care restroom | available | Throughout the terminal, both sides of security | both | Unknown | — | free |
| Adult changing table | available | Level 2 pre-security and post-security by Shake Shack | both | Unknown | — | free |
| Sensory room | none | — | unknown | — | — | n/a |
| Family security lane | none | — | n/a | — | — | n/a |
| Stroller rental | none | — | n/a | — | — | n/a |
| Family lounge | none | — | n/a | — | — | n/a |

## Nursing rooms

| Name | Location | Security side | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mother's Rooms — one on each concourse | Main Terminal · One on each of the three concourses | post-security | MSY publishes no access procedure — no app, key or call button is mentioned. | https://flymsy.com/amenities/ |

## Family restrooms

| Name | Location | Security side | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Family / companion care restroom — pre-security, Level 2 | Main Terminal · Level 2 · To the right of the screening checkpoint | pre-security | Adult changing table | https://flymsy.com/amenities/ |
| Family / companion care restroom — post-security, near Shake Shack | Main Terminal · Near Shake Shack | post-security | Adult changing table | https://flymsy.com/amenities/ |
| Family restrooms throughout the terminal | Main Terminal | both |  | https://flymsy.com/accessibility/ |

## Security with children

- **Family lane:** MSY has one consolidated checkpoint, on Level 2 of the terminal, open from 3:30 a.m. until 30 minutes before the last scheduled departure. CLEAR runs dedicated lanes for both Standard and PreCheck screening there; no family or assistance lane is named. Only ticketed passengers pass the checkpoint, with an explicit exception for 'those with specific medical or parental needs' and holders of the MSY Guest Pass.
- **Strollers and car seats:** TSA rules apply — MSY publishes none of its own and points travellers to tsa.gov. Strollers, umbrella strollers, carriers, car seats and booster seats go through the X-ray; anything too large for the belt is inspected by hand.
- **Formula, milk and baby food:** Formula, breast milk, toddler drinks and baby food are allowed over 3.4 oz (100 ml) and do not have to fit in the quart bag. Your child does not have to be travelling with you to carry breast milk. Declare them at the start of screening and take them out of your bag.
- **Shoes:** Children 12 and under can leave their shoes, light jackets and headwear on during screening.
- **PreCheck:** Children 17 and under use the TSA PreCheck lane free with an enrolled adult. MSY states plainly that no identification is required for children — only adults 18 and over must present acceptable ID.
- Source: https://flymsy.com/security-checkpoint/

## Getting between terminals

MSY's 35-gate terminal opened on 6 November 2019 and was designed, in the airport's own words, free of any architectural barriers, with concessions running down the centre of the concourse so passengers can see their gate while they eat. Levels stack simply: Baggage Claim and the Customer Service Desk on 1, the checkpoint and the concourse exits on 2, Ticketing on 3. Arriving passengers are met either at the concourse exits on Level 2 or in Baggage Claim on Level 1. Braille signage sits in lifts and outside all doors and emergency exits, visual paging runs on the flight information displays, and the airport is open 24 hours a day including holidays.
- Source: https://flymsy.com/the-new-msy/

## Layover plans

### 1–2 hours — Clear the one checkpoint and head straight for your Mother's Room

1. Join the single Level 2 checkpoint — there's no family lane, but CLEAR runs both standard and PreCheck lanes if you're enrolled.
2. Once past security, find your concourse's Mother's Room for feeding; MSY gives no gate reference, so check the facility map or ask at the Customer Service Desk on 504-303-7792.
3. Grab something from the concessions running down the concourse centre so you can watch your gate while you eat.

### 3–5 hours — There's no play area, so plan your own entertainment

1. Bring quiet activities of your own — MSY has no play area of any kind in any concourse.
2. Use the post-security family restroom by Shake Shack if you need the adult changing table, or the pre-security one on Level 2 before you go through.
3. Ask at the Customer Service Desk near Baggage Claim (5 a.m.–9 p.m.) for a free Hidden Disabilities lanyard if it would help your family through the terminal.

### Overnight — The terminal runs 24 hours, but published amenity hours don't

1. MSY's terminal is open 24 hours daily, but the airport publishes no overnight hours for the Mother's Rooms specifically.
2. There's no lounge or play area to retreat to — plan around the concourse seating and the 11 post-security water bottle filling stations.
3. Confirm your airline's own overnight policies before committing to wait it out with young children.

## Your rights

- **Lactation:** MSY handles more than the medium-hub passenger threshold that triggers the FAM Act, which requires a lactation area in the sterile area of each terminal with a locking door, a seat, a flat surface, a power outlet and access to a sink or sanitiser. MSY's Mother's Rooms include seating, an end table, a changing table and outlets, though the airport does not state whether each has a sink or a lock.
- **Changing tables:** The same law requires a baby changing table in at least one men's and one women's restroom per terminal, with compliance due by 30 September 2020. MSY documents two adult changing tables specifically and states that baby changing tables are inside the Mother's Rooms, but makes no statement about changing tables in ordinary men's or women's restrooms.
- **Liquids:** TSA's national rule applies at MSY, which points travellers to tsa.gov rather than publishing its own version: formula, breast milk, toddler drinks and baby food over 3.4 oz (100 ml) are allowed and do not need to fit in the quart bag, and your child does not have to be travelling with you to carry breast milk.
- **Boarding:** Priority boarding for families is set by your airline, not by MSY — check your carrier's policy before you fly.
- **If it is missing:** MSY directs travellers to its facility map for exact Mother's Room and family restroom positions, or to the Customer Service Desk by Baggage Claim on 504-303-7792. Travellers needing to bring someone through the checkpoint for a medical or parental reason can ask at the checkpoint or apply in advance for an MSY Guest Pass.
- Source: https://www.tsa.gov/travel/special-procedures/traveling-children

## FAQ

### Does New Orleans airport have a kids' play area?

No. MSY has no children's play area anywhere in its terminal. The airport's own Amenities page opens by describing itself as a listing of all amenities available at MSY, and it runs from adult changing tables through cash-to-card kiosks, charging stations, disability facilities, ATMs, lost and found, lounges, the Military Lounge, Mother's Rooms, the police station, pet relief areas and water bottle filling stations without naming a play space at any point. Neither the accessibility page nor the airport's FAQs mention one either. If keeping young children occupied during a layover matters to your trip, plan to bring your own activities, a favourite toy or a tablet, because there is genuinely nothing built into the terminal for children to climb on or play with, unlike some larger Southern hubs.

### Where is the Mother's Room at MSY?

MSY has three Mother's Rooms, one on each of its three concourses, and all of them sit past the airport's single consolidated security checkpoint on Level 2. Each room has comfortable seating, an end table, a changing table and electrical outlets placed appropriately for pumping. The airport does not publish a gate reference for any of the three rooms in text — its stated instruction is to check the facility map for the specific location once you're through security. If you land at a gate on a different concourse from your Mother's Room, the practical move is to check the map or call the Customer Service Desk on 504-303-7792 before you go through the checkpoint, since MSY publishes nothing about whether the rooms have a sink, a lock or space for a stroller.

### Are there adult changing tables at MSY?

Yes, MSY has two, and both are inside family/companion care restrooms rather than standalone rooms. One is on Level 2, immediately to the right of the security checkpoint, making it the last adult changing table available before you go through screening. The other is past security, next to Shake Shack, in the same location as the post-security pet relief area. MSY does not state whether either table is height-adjustable, only that adult changing tables are available in these two restrooms. If you need one and are travelling pre-security — for instance, to change someone who isn't flying with you — the Level 2 restroom by the checkpoint is the one to use, since the second option requires clearing security first.

### Does MSY have family restrooms?

Yes, and MSY documents them more generously than most mid-size airports, even without an exact count. The airport's accessibility page states plainly that family restrooms are located adjacent to the majority of the restroom facilities throughout the terminal building, on both sides of security, and that every restroom in the terminal is wheelchair accessible. Two specific family restrooms are named directly: one on Level 2 to the right of the checkpoint before you go through, and one past security next to Shake Shack — both of which also have the airport's only two adult changing tables. For any other family restroom in the terminal, MSY directs travellers to its facility map rather than publishing a full list, so expect to look it up on arrival rather than plan gate-by-gate from home.

### Does MSY have a sensory room?

No, MSY has no dedicated sensory room. What the airport runs instead is the Hidden Disabilities programme: free sunflower lanyards and bracelets, available from the Customer Service Desk by Baggage Claim on Level 1, staffed daily from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wearing one signals to airport and airline staff that a traveller may need extra time or patience, though MSY is explicit that the lanyard is not a security fast-track and doesn't move you to a shorter queue. If a true sensory space with calming equipment or a quiet room matters for your child, MSY does not offer one, and you should plan around the terminal's regular seating areas instead.

### Can I rent a stroller at MSY?

No. MSY offers no stroller rental service of any kind. Its Amenities page, which describes itself as a complete listing of everything available at the airport, runs through adult changing tables, cash-to-card kiosks, charging stations, disability facilities, ATMs, lost and found, lounges, meet-and-greet services, the Military Lounge, Mother's Rooms, the police station, pet relief areas, smoking areas, visitor information and water bottle filling stations — and nothing resembling a rental of any kind appears on it. If you need a stroller inside the terminal, bring your own from home and expect to gate-check it, since MSY publishes no gate-check policy of its own; that decision is set entirely by your airline.

### Does MSY have a family security lane?

MSY does not advertise a dedicated family security lane. The airport runs one consolidated checkpoint on Level 2, open from 3:30 a.m. until 30 minutes before the last scheduled departure, with CLEAR operating dedicated lanes for both standard and PreCheck screening — but no lane specifically for families with young children. What is genuinely useful is that MSY makes an explicit exception to its ticketed-passenger-only rule for people with specific medical or parental needs, meaning a non-ticketed family member can sometimes pass the checkpoint with you; ask at the checkpoint directly, or apply in advance for an MSY Guest Pass. Standard TSA child procedures apply otherwise: children 12 and under keep shoes and light jackets on, and children 17 and under use the PreCheck lane free alongside an enrolled adult.

### How easy is MSY to navigate with young children?

Genuinely easy, structurally speaking. MSY's 35-gate terminal opened in November 2019 and was designed, in the airport's own words, free of architectural barriers, with concessions running down the centre of each concourse so a parent can watch the gate while eating. There is exactly one security checkpoint for the whole airport, so once you're through, all three concourses and everything on them — the Mother's Rooms, the adult changing table by Shake Shack, the pet relief area and the 11 water bottle filling stations — are reachable from any gate with no re-screening. The trade-off is that MSY documents almost nothing in the way of dedicated family amenities: no play area, no sensory room, and no exact gate references for the rooms it does have. The ease at MSY comes from its simple single-checkpoint layout, not from purpose-built family facilities.

### What is there to eat at MSY that's good for kids?

MSY publishes no family-specific dining information at all — no kids' menus, no high-chair availability, no bottle-warming service for any restaurant. Its Shop, Dine, Relax directory lists the venues and their ordering technology but stops there. What we can tell you with confidence is the layout: concessions run down the centre of each of the three concourses, positioned so you can keep an eye on your departure gate while you eat, which matters more than usual with young children in tow. Because MSY doesn't name specific family-friendly outlets, the practical approach is to check what's on your concourse once you're through security rather than plan a specific restaurant from home, and to bring your own snacks as a backup for a picky eater.

## Related airports

- [Miami (MIA)](https://www.velivolotravel.com/okf/airports/miami-international-airport-mia.md) — A much larger Gulf-adjacent hub with two sensory rooms and a nursing pod on every concourse — a real step up from MSY's single Mother's Room per concourse.
- [Houston (IAH)](https://www.velivolotravel.com/okf/airports/george-bush-intercontinental-airport-iah.md) — A much bigger Gulf Coast hub one state over, worth comparing before a longer connection with kids.
- [San Antonio (SAT)](https://www.velivolotravel.com/okf/airports/san-antonio-international-airport-sat.md) — A similarly sized Texas airport where every family restroom is confirmed to have a changing station — clearer documentation than MSY's.
- [Atlanta (ATL)](https://www.velivolotravel.com/okf/airports/hartsfield-jackson-atlanta-international-airport-atl.md) — The Southeast's biggest hub and a common MSY connection — far larger, with real play areas MSY lacks.
- [Nashville (BNA)](https://www.velivolotravel.com/okf/airports/nashville-international-airport-bna.md) — A recently renovated Southern airport to compare against MSY's older, single-checkpoint terminal.

## Sources

- [MSY — Amenities (2026)](https://flymsy.com/amenities/) — No play area, Mother's Rooms, adult changing tables, no rental
- [MSY — ADA & Accessibility (2026)](https://flymsy.com/accessibility/) — Family restroom coverage and the Hidden Disabilities programme
- [MSY — Security Checkpoint (2026)](https://flymsy.com/security-checkpoint/) — Single checkpoint hours, CLEAR lanes, ticketed-passenger exception
- [MSY — The New MSY (2026)](https://flymsy.com/the-new-msy/) — Terminal layout, opening date and accessibility design
- [TSA — Traveling with Children (2026)](https://www.tsa.gov/travel/special-procedures/traveling-children) — Federal screening and liquids rules

**Last checked:** 2026-08-04