VIRGIN Atlantic has launched a brand-new service to Las Vegas from a major UK airport in the north of England.

Flights started operating between Manchester Airport and Las Vegas on Sunday (June 2, 2024).

The weekly seasonal service will operate every sunday, with the direct flight taking 10 hours and 35 minutes.

Outbound flights will leave Manchester Airport at 9.50am before arriving in Las Vegas at 12.25pm local time.

Return flights will depart from America at 2.40pm, landing at Manchester Airport the following morning at 8.20am.

Tickets are already on sale for the service, with Sun Online Travel finding one-way fares in Economy Light from £888 per person.

The frequency of the route is slated to increase in 2025 to three services per week.

From April 29, 2025 to October 24, 2025, the service will operate three times a week every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.

The new service will complement the airline’s existing service from London Heathrow to Las Vegas.

It also marks the airline’s fourth service from Manchester Airport to America, with other services already operating to New York, Orlando and Atlanta.

Chris Woodroofe, Managing Director at Manchester Airport: “Here at Manchester Airport, we’re proud to serve the North with an ever-growing route network of more than 200 destinations. Adding Las Vegas with Virgin Atlantic to that list is really exciting.  

“It also makes Manchester Airport the only English airport outside London to offer direct flights to America’s west coast, opening up a host of travel opportunities including the bright lights and nightlife of Las Vegas itself, the spectacular scenery of National Parks like Yosemite and the Grand Canyon as well the Pacific coast, the fascinating cities of San Francisco and Los Angeles and much, much more.”

Dom Kennedy, Senior Vice President at Virgin Atlantic Holidays, added: “We’re thrilled to be re-introducing our Manchester to Las Vegas service and its incredible to be here today with all customers as they fly off for a trip of a lifetime.”

Las Vegas is considered to be something of a bucket list destination for British holidaymakers who want to explore the city’s famous Vegas Strip.

Deputy Travel Editor Kara Godfrey recently visited Las Vegas – here’s her review of the iconic American strip.

Virgin Atlantic isn’t the only airline launching a new route from the UK to Las Vegas, with Norse Atlantic Airways also announcing the launch of a new service.

Earlier this year, the budget airline revealed that it would be launching a new route from London Gatwick to Las Vegas.

The route will be launching from September 12, with one-way fares starting from as little as £163, while return fares will start from just £399 in economy.

Other Norse flights from the UK include:

• London Gatwick to Barbados
• London Gatwick to to Los Angeles
• London Gatwick to to Miami
• London Gatwick to Orlando
• London Gatwick to Washington.

And Sun reporter Amanda Devlin recently tried out Norse Atlantic Airways – here’s her review.

Meanwhile, TUI is also launching new flights from four UK airports next summer.

British Airways is also launching a new flight route to the “cheaper alternative” to Lapland this winter – with tickets already on sale.

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