One-way rental · MSY → ATL
Picking up at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International and returning the car in Atlanta? Here's whether the different drop-off works, what the one-way fee might add, where you return the car at ATL, and what to watch for on the 470 miles drive — so the return location doesn't eat your budget.
Search New Orleans pickup on Discover Cars →Gulf-South one-way from New Orleans to Atlanta, flying out of Hartsfield-Jackson. It's roughly 470 miles, about 7 hours via I-10, I-65 and I-85, mainly on I-10 east to Mobile, I-65 north to Montgomery, then I-85 north to Atlanta.
Route heads-up: Long elevated bridges over Louisiana swampland on I-10 have no shoulders or services for miles. Around Atlanta the Peach Pass Express Lanes are electronic-toll, and the airport's rental center is a SkyTrain ride from the terminal.
At Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International, drop-offs are at the consolidated Rental Car Center (RCC), separate from the domestic terminal (about 1 mile from the terminal). To reach it you ride the free ATL SkyTrain people-mover from the domestic terminal to the Rental Car Center. Knowing this before you arrive helps you leave enough buffer for your flight — and confirm your brand actually has a return desk at ATL, since one-way returns must be booked to a participating location.
Local toll heads-up at ATL: Atlanta's I-85 and I-75 Express Lanes use Georgia's Peach Pass and are all-electronic; they're optional lanes you can avoid, but a rental's toll program bills any use back with a daily fee.
One-way fees are set by the rental brand, not the airport, and they change — confirm with your supplier. Here's how the major brands handle a different drop-off:
| Company | One-way rentals | Drop-off fee | Cross-region | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Enterprise Enterprise US one-way policy ↗ · checked Jun 2026 |
Yes | May apply; varies by route & season | Yes | One-way rentals must be booked in advance. Returns within the same city can still trigger a drop charge, mileage charge, or a higher rate. |
| National National US one-way fees ↗ · checked Jun 2026 |
Yes | Often none airport-to-airport | Yes | Unlimited mileage on most U.S. and Canada one-ways; some specialty vehicles (large vans, large SUVs) have mileage limits. Certain one-way routes are not allowed. |
| Alamo Alamo one-way policy ↗ · checked Jun 2026 |
Yes | May apply; varies by location | Yes | Book one-way rentals in advance. Same-city returns can still be charged, and certain one-way routes are not allowed. |
| Hertz Hertz US one-way rentals ↗ · checked Jun 2026 |
Yes | No separate drop-off fee (US) | Yes | About 1,700 U.S. locations (airport and neighborhood). Free unlimited mileage on most rentals; SUVs, minivans and Prestige vehicles can be rented one-way. |
| Avis Avis one-way car rental FAQ ↗ · checked Jun 2026 |
Yes | Most locations: none | Yes | Book one-way rentals in advance. Driving out of state is allowed; review any fees during booking. Car type and availability vary by participating location. |
| Budget Budget one-way car rental ↗ · checked Jun 2026 |
Yes | May apply; same metro usually free | Yes | One-way hire is available from most Budget locations; the price quoted online already includes any applicable one-way charge. |
| Sixt Sixt USA rental information ↗ · checked Jun 2026 |
Yes | Shown upfront; free on select FL/CA/NV routes | With conditions | U.S. one-way rentals are generally allowed between Sixt locations; international one-ways are not permitted, and driving outside permitted areas adds a per-mile fee. |
| Dollar Dollar general policies (one-way) ↗ · checked Jun 2026 |
Yes | Drop fee applies; varies | Yes | One-way rentals within the U.S. and within Canada vary by Dollar location and vehicle availability. Book in advance. |
| Thrifty Thrifty one-way car rental ↗ · checked Jun 2026 |
Yes | Drop fee applies; varies | Yes | One-way rentals within the U.S. and within Canada vary by Thrifty location and vehicle availability. Prices vary by location, date, length and car class. |
How we source this: each row links to the rental company's own published one-way / drop-off policy, with the month we last checked it. These policies change often and vary by route, location and vehicle class, so treat them as a guide and always confirm the current one-way fee and terms with your supplier before you book.
There's no single "one-way only" button on the big search engines, but on a comparison site like Discover Cars you can set the different drop-off in a couple of steps:
Arriving the night before your flight out of ATL? Compare hotels around Atlanta:
Yes. Most major brands — including Enterprise, Hertz, Avis, Budget, National, Alamo and Sixt — allow you to pick up at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International (MSY) and return at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International (ATL), as long as you book the one-way in advance. Availability and the car classes offered vary by location, so reserve early.
It depends entirely on the brand, dates and vehicle. Some suppliers charge no separate drop-off fee on domestic one-ways, while others add a one-time drop charge or a higher one-way rate that is disclosed when you book. The New Orleans to Atlanta corridor is well served, so it is worth comparing a few suppliers on the drop fee, not just the daily rate.
At Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International, the rental cars are at the consolidated Rental Car Center (RCC), separate from the domestic terminal (about 1 mile from the terminal); to reach it you ride the free ATL SkyTrain people-mover from the domestic terminal to the Rental Car Center. Confirm your specific brand's drop-off location and hours before you travel.
Long elevated bridges over Louisiana swampland on I-10 have no shoulders or services for miles. Around Atlanta the Peach Pass Express Lanes are electronic-toll, and the airport's rental center is a SkyTrain ride from the terminal. Ask your rental company how it handles tolls so you are not surprised by add-on fees.
It is roughly 470 miles, about 7 hours via I-10, I-65 and I-85, mainly on I-10 east to Mobile, I-65 north to Montgomery, then I-85 north to Atlanta. Build in extra time for traffic, fuel and the rental return process at ATL.