Since the reopening of Las Vegas casino-resorts on June 4, sustained demand from tourists seeking to return to Southern Nevada has led airline partners at McCarran International Airport to increase their flight schedules in the coming months.
At the lowest point of travel during the pandemic, McCarran saw only 110 scheduled arrivals for a single day. In May, the top 10 domestic carriers at LAS combined to average 145 scheduled arrivals per day. In June that total rose to nearly 200, and in July it will be in excess of 280 per day. By August, scheduled daily air arrivals into Las Vegas is slated to increase to more than 330. This increase in scheduling will continue to expand access from across the nation. Currently, 55 markets enjoy daily, nonstop service into LAS.
The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) reports more than 230 hotels – including Bellagio, Caesars Palace, Cosmopolitan, The Venetian, Wynn Las Vegas, Green Valley Ranch Resort, Spa & Casino, The Orleans Hotel & Casino and The D Las Vegas – reopened during June. Before the end of July, properties accounting for 125,000 total local guest rooms are expected to be open. Read and book at the new hotels in Las Vegas
“McCarran International Airport is at the forefront of the Las Vegas comeback story,” said Rosemary Vassiliadis, Clark County Director of Aviation. “The significant investment in increased scheduling shows the confidence our airline partners have in travelers’ demand to return to our incredible destination, and it underscores the hard work being done to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 here at the airport.”
“The reopening of Las Vegas was stronger than we expected,” said Steve Hill, CEO and president of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. “We greatly appreciate our airline partners recognizing the demand by investing in increased flights as we continue to open up additional casino-resorts and attractions, and welcome our visitors back.”
Southwest Airlines will see the largest jump in summer service, averaging 156 daily arrivals in August compared to 87 in May. Similarly, Delta Air Lines will increase from an average of 10 arrivals a day in May to 32 in August. Of these additional services, there are several notable trends and additions:
- Delta Air Lines will return daily service from a variety of markets including Boston, Cincinnati, and New York.
- Beginning in August, JetBlue will launch a new, twice-daily service between McCarran and Newark Liberty International Airport.
- Frontier Airlines will see significant increases in service from Denver, Miami, and various California markets.
- In July, Spirit Airlines will bring back daily service from Tampa, Philadelphia, and Columbus.
- Select foreign markets in Canada and Mexico will also return in late June and early July.
These increases account for both the restoration of services previously in place before the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as a few new routes being brought online. The return of long-haul flights is a significant indicator of passengers’ renewed confidence in air travel. Listed route availability and scheduling are subject to change.
