Southwest heading north to this new destination from Las Vegas
Southwest Airlines will begin offering a daily nonstop flight from Las Vegas to and from Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport in Alaska starting in May, the company announced.
Tickets are expected to go on sale next week when the airline releases its new schedule. Pricing has not been announced.
Southwest expects to operate the new flights on a late-night “redeye” schedule and service is expected to be seasonal. Southwest also announced nonstop flights to and from Denver International Airport from Anchorage giving customers nationwide access to flights through the two gateways.
Anchorage is the fifth new Southwest destination announced for 2026 this year. Earlier, the Dallas-based carrier — the busiest at Harry Reid International Airport — announced new routes to Knoxville, Tennessee; Santa Rosa, California; St. Maarten in the Caribbean; and St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands.
“We’re adding destinations that once seemed inconceivable for Southwest in order to build a route network that creates new experiences and more possibilities than ever before,” Andrew Watterson, chief operating officer at Southwest, said in a release. “We look forward to connecting our customers to the rich history and culture of Anchorage and connecting the 49th state to our vast domestic network.”
Alaska will become the 43rd state in Southwest’s domestic network and the 122nd airport served by the airline.
The announcement was made in a press conference at the Anchorage airport. Anchorage Mayor Suzanne LaFrance called it an exciting day for the city.
“When service begins next year, Southwest will bring more visitors, more opportunities and more choices for Alaskans who travel,” LaFrance told KTUU in Anchorage. “Tourism is one of the most important drivers of our local economy.”
Contact Richard N. Velotta at rvelotta@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3893. Follow @RickVelotta on X.