The Mystery of MSY: New Orleans' Airport Code

Unlike many airport codes that hint at their city's name (JFK, LAX, ORD), MSY for Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport has no mnemonic meaning. It was assigned by IATA in the early days of commercial aviation when the airfield was known as Moisant Field, named after pioneering aviator John Moisant, who died in a 1910 crash on the site. The "MS" likely derives from "Moisant," and the "Y" was a filler letter. The airport was renamed in 2001 to honor Louis Armstrong, but the code MSY—now iconic—remained.