Vegas flying high thanks to budget airlines
More people than ever are flying to Las Vegas thanks to the boom in bargain flights to the world’s gambling capital.
According to the latest statistics, July was the busiest month ever for the city’s McCarran International Airport, with around 4.3 million arrivals and departures passing through it during the month.
July’s figures bring the total number of flying visitors to Vegas to 28 million.
Plans for a $4 billion project aimed at maximizing McCarren’s capacity is still being considered by the aviation authorities while proposals have been mooted about the construction of a new major airport just 25 miles from the existing one.
The new aviation report also shows that low-cost airlines are the major reason for the boom, with Las Vegas-based Allegiant Air now the sixth largest carrier using the airport, though it is soon expected to leapfrog American into the top five.
However, while this is surely good news for the city in general, particularly given that the money visitors save on their flights can then go into the casino’s slot machines, the airport, like Elvis’ jumpsuit, is beginning to show the strain.
“We have to continue to look at ways to push more people through a facility that wasn’t built to accommodate this many people,” airport spokesman Chris Jones said.