New Orleans Per Diem Calculator and Rates

Calculate New Orleans' per diem rate based on GSA guidelines to simplify your business travels.

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As a world-renowned destination for culture, cuisine, music, and major conventions, New Orleans is a unique and vital hub for business travel. For any organization with employees traveling to the Crescent City, a clear strategy for managing expenses is essential. 

Per diem, a daily allowance covering lodging, meals, and incidental costs, provides a streamlined way to handle reimbursements. This guide offers a detailed look at the official per diem rates for New Orleans, important Louisiana laws for employers, and how to automate the entire process for accuracy and compliance.

New Orleans Per Diem Rates

New Orleans is designated as a Non-Standard Area (NSA) by the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), which means it has its own specific per diem rates that are higher than the standard U.S. rate. These rates are mandatory for federal employees and are widely used as a benchmark by private companies.

For Fiscal Year 2025 (October 1, 2024, to September 30, 2025), the rates are as follows:

New Orleans Area Rates (Orleans, Jefferson, Plaquemines, & St. Bernard Parishes)

  • M&IE: The Meals and Incidental Expenses rate is $86 per day.
  • Lodging: The maximum lodging allowance is highly seasonal, reflecting the city's event and tourist calendar:
    • $249 per night for the peak season (February - May).
    • $160 per night (October - January).
    • $144 per night for the summer season (June - September).
  • First and Last Day of Travel: On the first and last day of a trip, the M&IE allowance is calculated at 75% of the full daily rate, which amounts to $64.50.

New Orleans Per Diem Rate Calculator

To easily determine the correct allowance for your trip to New Orleans, our per diem calculator provides instant and accurate results based on the official GSA schedule.

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Your per diem allowance

Dates
Lodging (L)
Meals & Incidentals (M&IE)
Total (L + M&IE)
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Lodging (L)
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Meals & Incidentals (M&IE)
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Total (L + M&IE)
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*For the first and last day of travel, M&lE spend is limited to 75% of its normal, daily allowance.

New Orleans GSA Lodging Rates

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County
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New Orleans Meals and Incidental Rates

Financial year
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County
Daily M&IE Total
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Some Important New Orleans Per Diem Laws

Private employers in New Orleans are governed by Louisiana state law, which has a distinct approach to employee expense reimbursement.

  • No State Law Mandating Expense Reimbursement: Louisiana law does not require private employers to reimburse employees for business-related travel expenses. The decision to pay a per diem or reimburse actual costs is based entirely on the employer's internal policy or employment agreement.
  • Company Policy is a Binding Agreement: While reimbursement is not required by law, if an employer establishes a policy to reimburse expenses, that policy creates a binding contract. An employee could sue for breach of contract if the employer fails to follow its own written rules.
  • Federal Minimum Wage Applies: Louisiana does not have a state minimum wage, so it defaults to the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour.
  • Federal FLSA Protections: The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) provides the primary legal protection for employees. This law ensures that required business expenses paid by an employee do not cause their effective hourly pay to fall below the $7.25 per hour federal minimum wage.

New Orleans Per Diem Laws vs Federal Law

The per diem framework for a private company employee in New Orleans is fundamentally different from the GSA system that governs federal employees.

Primary Applicability

  • Federal Law (GSA): Mandatory for all U.S. federal government employees on official business in New Orleans.
  • Louisiana Law: State law does not set per diem rules for private employers. The primary legal considerations are the employer's own policies and the federal FLSA minimum wage protection.

Rate Setting and Usage

  • Federal Law (GSA): The GSA sets specific, non-negotiable per diem rates for New Orleans that federal agencies must use.
  • Louisiana Law: The state does not set or regulate per diem rates. Private companies have the flexibility to design their own travel reimbursement policies. Using GSA rates is a common business practice for fairness but is not a legal requirement.

Legal Focus

  • Federal Law (GSA): Aims to create a uniform, cost-controlled system for all government travel.
  • Louisiana Law: Focuses on upholding employment agreements. If a company promises reimbursement, it is expected to adhere to its policy.

How Fyle Can Automate Per Diem and Expense Tracking

With its vibrant event calendar and fluctuating seasonal costs, managing travel expenses for New Orleans requires a system that is agile, accurate, and compliant with your company policies. Fyle’s intelligent expense management platform is built to handle the unique demands of a destination like New Orleans.

Fyle helps you master New Orleans per diem and expense tracking:

  • Automated and Accurate Rate Application: Fyle automatically applies the correct GSA per diem rates for New Orleans, instantly factoring in the three-tiered seasonal lodging rates and the 75% M&IE rule for travel days.
  • Enforce Your Company’s Policy: Since your internal policy is the binding standard in Louisiana, consistent enforcement is crucial. Build your specific rules for New Orleans travel directly into Fyle’s policy engine to ensure every expense is checked for compliance.
  • Real-Time Expense Capture: Empower your employees to report expenses on the go. A quick photo of a receipt from Fyle’s mobile app or a forwarded email is all it takes to create an expense entry, eliminating post-trip administrative work.
  • Proactive Compliance Engine: Fyle’s platform checks every expense against your policies before it gets submitted. This saves your finance team countless hours of manual review and ensures every expense report is accurate from the start.
  • IRS-Compliant Mileage Tracking: For employees who may drive for business in the New Orleans area, Fyle’s Google Maps-powered mileage tracker provides an easy and accurate way to log trips for reimbursement.
  • Direct Accounting Integration: Fyle syncs seamlessly with all major accounting software, including NetSuite, QuickBooks, Xero, and Sage Intacct. All approved per diem and travel data flows directly into your general ledger, saving time and ensuring financial accuracy.

With Fyle, you can confidently manage your New Orleans travel expense process, ensuring you meet your policy obligations while providing a modern, hassle-free experience for your employees.

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The content on this page is for informational use. As legal standards and per diem rates are subject to change, users should verify current details with official GSA or government resources. This information does not serve as financial or legal counsel.