The SLO County Airport recently announced the return this fall of a direct flight to Las Vegas.
The San Luis Obispo direct flight to Las Vegas came to an end April 21, but now it’s returning for the third time with Alaska Airlines beginning this fall.
“I think that's going to work out really well," San Luis Obispo County resident Hans Kindermann said.
During the first seasonal run of the flight back in 2023-24, the airport found the flight had a 70% load factor, which is the percentage of available seats an airline has been able to sell on its flights. While specific numbers weren’t available for the last test run, Courtney Pene with the SLO County Airport said it was successful yet again.
“What success looks like is really the capacity of the flights. We have seen strong flight loads to Las Vegas each of the past two seasons," she said.
So why not offer it year-round? Even though specifics were not provided, and in an email, Alaska Airlines said, “Right now, we don’t have plans to fly the route year-round,” it’s clear that the SLO County Airport is making a case to make the flight permanent.
“So it's one thing that we continue to partner with them and share with them is that it is successful and our numbers continuously show that," Pene explained.
Alaska Airlines joined the SLO County Airport in 2019, adding year-round flights to Seattle and Portland. Many travelers at the airport say they want to see Las Vegas become one of those as well.
“When I was wanting to do it, they removed it from the schedule," San Luis Obispo resident Karthik Arun said of his experience trying to utilize the flight when it was last offered during its second seasonal run.
For the summer, the only options right now to get to Las Vegas, aside from major airports, are through the Santa Maria Airport, Santa Barbara Airport or driving.
“I don't mind paying an extra 100 bucks or 180 or even 200 to go from a local airport to where I want to be," Kindermann stated.
Pene said those interested in flying from San Luis Obispo are encouraged to buy their tickets sooner rather than later to save on ticket prices. She said people have already been calling the airport about tickets so they can start planning their future trips starting in the fall.
The nonstop flights are slated to begin again on October 4.
