Southwest adding Las Vegas routes to extended flight schedule

Southwest announced Thursday it extended its published flight schedule through Jan. 4, adding new flights to Las Vegas, Denver, Nashville, Tennessee, and Phoenix.

The airline did not specify the number of new flights or their origination points, but its schedule for November shows 18 more daily flights to Las Vegas than in November 2019. The schedule shows 26 more daily flights in December than a year ago.

“We’re rounding out our plan for this unprecedented year with our business travelers in mind with a fourth quarter schedule that brings them new routes across the country,” Andrew Watterson, Southwest Airlines executive vice president and chief commercial officer, said in a statement. “We anticipate business travelers will hit the road with a heightened focus on costs, so we’re pairing unmatched schedules with our value and hospitality to welcome them back, whenever they’re ready to travel.”

Southwest cut its flight schedule by 40 percent in March because of the effects of COVID-19, flying around 2,000 flights daily.

As more businesses reopen in Las Vegas — including resorts along the Strip — and other key cities Southwest serves, it is bolstering flights to those cities to meet the anticipated demand in business travel.

“Never before has Southwest been more primed to emerge as the preferred choice of corporate travel as the business climate across America begins its recovery,” Watterson said.

Additionally, Southwest plans to resume service to Mexico and the Caribbean, including Cancun, San Jose del Cabo/Los Cabos, Havana, Montego Bay, and Nassau on July 1, subject to change.

Service to the carrier’s other international destinations will resume pending the easing of government restrictions.

Contact Mick Akers at makers@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2920. Follow @mickakers on Twitter.