Volaris, a low-cost airline headquartered in Mexico City, announced the expansion of its nonstop service to Las Vegas, with the launch this fall of nonstop flights between Las Vegas and Tijuana. The direct flights will operate daily on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays, with service taking off on October 29th. The low-cost airline currently flies direct to Southern Nevada from Guadalajara and Mexico City.
“At Volaris, we are always looking for greater and better travel options for our clients, as well as offering unparalleled flight experiences and meeting the demand of a market with high potential such as Las Vegas,” Holger Blankenstein, Volaris’ Executive Vice President, said in a statement. “We once again fulfill our objective of increasingly diversifying our destination offering for the benefit of our clients on both sides of the border.”
The connectivity between Tijuana and Las Vegas is expected to boost the economy of the tourist destinations. While Las Vegas is known for its casinos and leisure offerings, Tijuana’s growth is honed by industrial manufacturing and trade.
Volaris, founded in 2005, has rapidly grown to become one of Mexico’s busiest commercial air carriers. The airline, known for its low-cost model, operates a fleet of over 80 Airbus aircraft, primarily A320s and A321s.
The introduction of the Tijuana-Las Vegas route is just one aspect of Volaris’ broader expansion strategy. The airline has announced other new routes, including flights between El Salvador and Miami, San Jose, Costa Rica and Guadalajara, and Cancun and McAllen, Texas. These new routes are designed to meet the growing demand for affordable air travel in the region.
Las Vegas’ booming economy drives increased demand for flights
The Las Vegas economy is booming exponentially, as casinos in 2023 won more money than ever before from gamblers. The gross gaming revenue in Nevada last year reached $15.5 billion, with Clark County accounting for $13.48 billion of the total.
In addition to gambling, the continual inclination of visitors to spend money while in Southern Nevada is driven by resort facilities such as restaurants, retail stores, entertainment, and nightlife. And with the NFL Raiders, NHL Golden Knights, and WNBA Aces, Las Vegas has also grown to be a popular sports destination.
This has resulted in an increased demand for flights to Las Vegas. Southwest, Harry Reid International’s biggest carrier, is trying to secure direct service from the nation’s capital at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA). Southwest officials said that the airline in the coming years will also begin overnight red-eye flights from Las Vegas to the East Coast.
According to LAS airport records, Volaris was responsible for 305,470 arriving and departing passengers to Las Vegas last year. The airline held a 9.4% market share of the Las Vegas international traffic.
