1st Southwest red-eye flights from Vegas take off in February
Southwest Airlines will roll out “redeye” flights from Las Vegas to Orlando, Florida, and to Baltimore-Washington International Airport in February.
The Dallas-based airline, the busiest commercial air carrier at Harry Reid International Airport, announced Thursday that the two routes would be among the five that will begin Feb. 14 and tickets are on sale.
A Southwest spokesman said more redeye routes are expected to be unveiled in future months.
Thursday’s announcement came the same day Southwest announced plans to discontinue its decades-old open seating boarding system. Beginning next year, Southwest will implement assigned seating and premium seating with greater legroom for passengers.
Southwest confirmed in March that Las Vegas would be among the first Southwest cities to get late-night flights, established to add capacity and generate revenue without acquiring additional aircraft.
West-to-east late-night flying is popular because passengers from western destinations can arrive in the early morning on the East Coast for breakfast meetings.
The Las Vegas airport has a history of accommodating late-night flights with its 24-hour environment.
When America West Airlines, a predecessor to what is now American Airlines, operated between 1981 and 2007, it used the Las Vegas airport, then known as McCarran International, as a “night hub” for late-night flying. Most of America West’s flights left Las Vegas after 9 p.m.
Contact Richard N. Velotta at rvelotta@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3893. Follow @RickVelotta on X.