Southwest Airlines’ newest destination — which is more northwest than southwest — has become the airline’s most popular destination for the airline’s loyalty club members and Las Vegas plays a key role in getting passengers there.
Southwest launched nonstop flights between Harry Reid International Airport and Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport in Alaska on Friday, and customers enrolled in Southwest’s Rapid Rewards program have already made it their most popular summer destination for flying on loyalty points, the airline said in a Saturday news release.
Las Vegas is one of two nonstop Southwest routes to Anchorage, the other being from Denver International Airport. The Las Vegas flight leaves at 6:10 p.m. daily from Reid, arriving in Anchorage after about 5½ hours of flying at 10:45 p.m. The return flight leaves Anchorage at 11:55 p.m., arriving in Las Vegas the next day at 6:05 a.m.
Southwest competes on the route with Alaska Airlines.
Alaska, known as “The Last Frontier,” became the 43rd U.S. state on Southwest’s destination map. Alaska and Hawaii became the 49th and 50th U.S. states in 1959.
“Southwest continues to give customers more opportunities to connect with the travel experiences that matter most to them,” Ted Gordon, vice president of airport affairs at Southwest, said in a release prior to the inaugural flight. “Anchorage stands out as a great destination for its culture, unforgettable scenery and hospitality.”
The airline celebrated customers traveling on the inaugural flights to Anchorage with commemorative boarding passes, Alaskan-themed swag, and a friendly welcome at the gate from Anchorage’s mascot critters, including Seymour the Moose.
Contact Richard N. Velotta at rvelotta@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3893. Follow @RickVelotta on X.
