New Orleans to Biloxi: flying into MSY and driving east to golf
New Orleans to Biloxi for golfers: the two-hour I-10 drive from MSY, rush-hour timing, west-end courses on the way, and when MSY beats flying into Gulfport.
Open the 3D map of every course →
New Orleans to Biloxi is about 101 miles and roughly two hours on I-10 east from the New Orleans airport (MSY), without traffic. It is about 1 hour 47 minutes to downtown Gulfport. MSY has far more nonstops than Gulfport, so many golfers fly in there, play the west-end courses on the way, and finish in the Biloxi casinos.
This guide covers the drive, its timing, the courses you pass, and when New Orleans is the better airport. Drive times are free-flow router estimates and prices were seen in October 2026; both change.
Quick facts
- MSY to Biloxi (Beau Rivage): 119 min, 101 miles, I-10 east.
- MSY to downtown Gulfport: 107 min, 88.8 miles.
- Time zone: Central in both states.
- MSY airlines: American, Delta, United, Southwest, Alaska, JetBlue, Frontier, Breeze, Allegiant, Sun Country; Air Canada (Toronto) and British Airways (London-Heathrow).
- Courses on the way: The Bridges, Diamondhead (two 18s), The Oaks, Pass Christian Isles.
- Watch out: New Orleans rush hour and The Bridges' Tuesday closure.
New Orleans to Biloxi: the drive
The route is simple: I-10 east from the airport in Kenner, across the Mississippi line and past the exits for Bay St. Louis, Diamondhead (exit 16) and Pass Christian (exit 24), then on past Gulfport to Biloxi. I-10 runs 5 to 8 miles inland from the beach, and I-110 links it to the Biloxi casino strip.
| From MSY to | Drive (free-flow) | Miles |
|---|---|---|
| Downtown Gulfport | 1 hr 47 min | 88.8 |
| Biloxi casinos (Beau Rivage) | 1 hr 59 min | 101 |
The research gives the MSY trip as about 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours, and more in New Orleans rush hour. The router figures do not include traffic, so leave room for it if you land late in the afternoon on a weekday.
Why fly into New Orleans for a Biloxi golf trip
MSY handled 12.5 million passengers in 2025, with Southwest alone flying to about 20 cities. Gulfport-Biloxi (GPT) is served by Delta, American Eagle, United Express, Breeze and Sun Country, so from most of the US it is one connection.
| MSY New Orleans | GPT Gulfport-Biloxi | |
|---|---|---|
| Drive to Biloxi casinos | 119 min | 27 min |
| Airlines | Major carriers plus low-cost and international | Delta, American Eagle, United Express, Breeze, Sun Country |
| Nonstops | Many, incl. Toronto and London | Atlanta, Charlotte, Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston, plus Breeze and seasonal Sun Country |
| Best for | Fares, nonstops, a New Orleans night | Least driving |
Route lists as read in October 2026; verify with the airlines. Avelo is due to start Dallas/McKinney to MSY from Dec 17, 2026. Our guide to Gulfport Biloxi airport flights covers GPT in detail, and Canadian golfers in Biloxi covers the Air Canada route.
Golf on the way: the west-end courses
The research notes that MSY suits golfers who want to play the Bay St. Louis and Diamondhead end first. These courses are the first ones off I-10 as you drive east.
| Course | Where | Price seen (Oct 2026) | Booking |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Bridges | Bay St. Louis, at Hollywood Casino | $99 Mon/Wed/Thu, $109 Fri-Sun; $65/$75 from 2 PM | About 14 days; closed Tuesdays |
| Diamondhead Cardinal | Diamondhead, I-10 exit 16 | $115 rack; online about $70-$107 all-in | About 14 days |
| Diamondhead Pine | Same club | Same rates as the Cardinal | Shared tee sheet |
| The Oaks | Pass Christian, I-10 exit 24 | $99 weekday / $109 weekend; $39-$49 late | 365 days |
| Pass Christian Isles | Pass Christian | $52 Mon-Sat; $36 Sunday and late | 7 days |
The Oaks describes itself as about an hour from New Orleans and about 20 minutes from Gulfport. It is the longest public course west of Gulfport at 7,006 yards from the tips. The Bridges is an Arnold Palmer marsh course with a 144 slope from the back. Our The Bridges course guide, The Oaks course guide and Diamondhead Cardinal course guide have the layouts and rates.
A detour north: Millbrook
Millbrook Golf & Country Club in Picayune is a 1954 piney-woods club that takes guest play through a public booking site, with top public rates of $55 weekday and $65 weekend seen in October 2026. It sits about 45 minutes from the coast on I-59, so the research suggests it only if you are based on the west side or driving in from New Orleans.
A sample New Orleans arrival
- Land at MSY in the morning, pick up the car and drive east on I-10.
- Play the west end: Diamondhead or The Oaks, both just off I-10 (or The Bridges on any day but Tuesday).
- Check in: stay west at Hollywood Casino Gulf Coast, whose Golf Package starts at $119 for a night and unlimited golf at The Bridges, or keep going to the Biloxi casinos.
Hollywood's official calendar showed $63.98 for Tuesday Nov 10, 2026 against $283.98 for Saturday Nov 21, 2026, including the resort fee and before tax. Weekday arrivals cost far less, as they do at every casino on the coast. The Ramada Diamondhead, about 6 minutes from the Diamondhead courses, showed $76 for an exterior king on that Tuesday. See Hollywood Casino Bay St. Louis golf and Bay St. Louis golf for the west-end base.
Staying at the west end
If you want to stay close to the courses you play first, the Pearl Hotel in Old Town Bay St. Louis is on the beach about 10 minutes from The Bridges and 12 from Pass Christian Isles. Its official engine showed $129 for a standard room on Tuesday Nov 10, 2026, and $259 a night for a premier room on the Nov 20-22 weekend with a two-night Saturday minimum (seen October 2026, before tax). Old Town Bay St. Louis has a small main street of shops and restaurants, and The Blind Tiger, an open-air beach bar on North Beach Blvd, is handy after a west-end round.
A New Orleans night on the way
Flying into MSY makes a night in New Orleans before or after the golf easy, since the airport is in Kenner on the city's west side. Our research does not cover New Orleans hotels or restaurants, so plan that part separately. If you do it at the end of the trip, leave Biloxi with enough time for the two-hour drive plus rush hour.
Rainy day on the drive
The INFINITY Science Center, NASA Stennis Space Center's visitor center and science museum, sits off I-10 at Pearlington by the Louisiana line. The research flags it as the best indoor stop for groups based in Bay St. Louis or driving from MSY. More ideas are in our rainy day in Biloxi guide.
Driving from elsewhere in Louisiana
Baton Rouge is about 2 hours 45 minutes to Biloxi via I-12 and I-10 east, and Houston is about 7.5 hours on I-10 through Baton Rouge and New Orleans. Our drive to Biloxi golf trip guide lists every major city.
Plan it on the map
Open the Biloxi golf map to see the west-end courses, the Biloxi casinos and every hotel with drive times, so you can split a trip that starts in New Orleans. The $30 plan builds a day-by-day route from MSY east.
Courses in this guide
Questions golfers ask
How far is Biloxi from New Orleans?
From the New Orleans airport (MSY) it is about 101 miles and 1 hour 59 minutes to the Biloxi casinos on I-10 east without traffic, and about 89 miles and 1 hour 47 minutes to downtown Gulfport. Add time for New Orleans rush hour.
Should I fly into New Orleans or Gulfport for a Biloxi golf trip?
Fly into New Orleans for nonstops and fares, since MSY has far more airlines. Fly into Gulfport-Biloxi (GPT) to skip the drive: it is about 27 minutes from the casinos but usually needs one connection.
Which golf courses are closest to New Orleans on the Mississippi coast?
The west-end cluster: The Bridges at Hollywood Casino in Bay St. Louis, the two Diamondhead courses off I-10 exit 16, and The Oaks and Pass Christian Isles in Pass Christian. The Oaks says it is about an hour from New Orleans.
Can I play golf on the way from New Orleans to Biloxi?
Yes. The west-end courses sit just off I-10 between New Orleans and Biloxi, so a land-and-play round at Diamondhead, The Oaks or The Bridges works before checking in further east. The Bridges is closed on Tuesdays.
Is there a direct flight from Canada to New Orleans?
Yes. Air Canada flies Toronto to New Orleans nonstop, the only Canada nonstop found at MSY, Gulfport or Mobile as of October 2026. From MSY it is about two hours by car to Biloxi.
What time zone is Biloxi in compared to New Orleans?
The same. Biloxi, Gulfport and New Orleans are all on Central Time, so there is no clock change on the drive.
Is there a golf course between New Orleans and the Mississippi coast off I-59?
Millbrook Golf & Country Club in Picayune takes guest play through a public booking site, with top public rates of $55 weekday and $65 weekend seen in October 2026. It is about 45 minutes from the coast, so it only fits if you are based in the west or coming from New Orleans.
Keep reading
PlanningBiloxi golf rates: every course's green fees by season, with the dates they changeBiloxi golf rates for every course on the Mississippi coast: peak, winter, summer and twilight green fees and the dates seasons change, as seen October 2026.6 min read
AreasBay St. Louis golf: the west-coast cluster of five coursesBay St. Louis golf guide: The Bridges, both Diamondhead courses, Pass Christian Isles and The Oaks, with rates seen Oct 2026, drive times and where to stay.7 min read
CoursesBiloxi golf courses: every course you can play on the Mississippi coastBiloxi golf courses compared: 12 courses visitors can play, from $28 Bayou Vista to Fallen Oak, with par, length, slope, access and rates seen October 2026.9 min read