LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Since the reopening of Las Vegas hotel-casinos 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 Airport saw 110 scheduled arrivals for a single day.
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In May, the top 10 domestic carriers at the airport combined to average 145 scheduled arrivals per day.
In June that total rose to nearly 200, and in July it is expected to go over 280 per day, according to an airport spokesperson.
By August, scheduled daily air arrivals into Las Vegas are slated to increase to more than 330, and these increases in scheduling are also expected to continue to expanded access from across the nation.
“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.”
Currently, 55 markets have nonstop service to Las Vegas.
The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority reports more than 230 hotels – including Bellagio, Caesars Palace, Cosmopolitan, The Venetian, Wynn Las Vegas, Green Valley Ranch Resort, The Orleans and The D Las Vegas – reopened during June.
And before the end of July, properties accounting for 125,000 total local guest rooms are expected to be open.
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“The reopening of Las Vegas was stronger than we expected,” said Steve Hill, chief executive officer 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 is expected to see the largest jump in summer service, averaging 156 daily arrivals in August compared to 87 in May, according to the airport.
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 the airport shared further 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.
The increases account for both the restoration of services previously in place before the COVID-19 pandemic, and a few new routes brought online.
The airport also says the return of long-haul flights is a significant indicator of passengers’ renewed confidence in air travel.
