Qantas Launches New 15-Hour Nonstop Route In 2 Months: See Map Now

Australian flag carrier Qantas is gearing up to become the first airline to ever operate scheduled flights between Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport (SYD) and Las Vegas Harry Reid International Airport (LAS). The airline historically has operated the route on a charter basis, alongside its low-cost subsidiary Jetstar.

From December 29, the oneworld partner airline will commence scheduled flights from Australia's largest city and busiest airport to the City of Sin, with a three-weekly rotation on board the Boeing 787-9.

Expanding The Network: Nonstop Flights From Sydney To Las Vegas

Las Vegas becomes the airline's 101st destination for Qantas, and will be the eighth city in America for the airline. The route to Las Vegas will operate seasonally from December through March, saving travelers up to five hours in transit time via the other US gateways, including Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), San Francisco International Airport (SFO), and Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW).

This new service complements Las Vegas's ongoing global events and conference calendars, including the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), which is the largest tech show on the planet.

Qantas' decision to convert the services to Las Vegas from charter to scheduled services shows the ongoing appetite for Australian travelers to unique destinations and has driven the expansion of this service. The airline's first flight pushes back from Sydney on December 29, with many Aussies likely flocking to Las Vegas to see in the New Year. The airline's schedule is noted below:

Eight Destinations In The Americas

The addition of Las Vegas (albeit seasonally) marks Qantas' eighth destination in the Americas after Los Angeles, San Francisco, Honolulu, Dallas, New York, Vancouver and Santiago. Check out the airline's North and South America network in the table below for flights this November with data from Cirium, an online aviation analytics company:

Qantas previously saw demand for charter flights to Las Vegas through partnership with the NRL for Aussie fans to get to Rugby League games hosted in Nevada. Through the airline's investment in fleet renewal, it has provided the carrier the flexibility to deploy aircraft on routes that see continued demand and open route possibilities that were not available before. The growth creates more opportunities for pilots and cabin crew, while also providing customers more choice on where they fly.

Australia is the second largest overseas market for travelers to Las Vegas, with approximately a quarter of a million Aussies visiting the city each year. Whereas three-quarters of a million Americans also visit Down Under, as shared by Qantas.

Working Closely With American Airlines For Connecting Passengers

American Airlines and Qantas have a joint business venture and codeshare alliance between Australia, New Zealand and North America. This allows passengers to book one ticket with both airlines for connecting travel. This provides passengers with simple one-booking itineraries for travel such as Miami to Los Angeles, onwards to Brisbane and through to Perth without the need for multiple reservations.

Passengers can earn and redeem both Qantas Points and American AAdvantage Miles, and status bonuses on either airline. This partnership provides airport lounge access with both airlines, subject to class of travel or frequent flyer status.

With Qantas set to debut in Las Vegas this December with its first regular scheduled service, this provides another unique way to travel to the United States, and those headed for both the man-made and natural wonders of Las Vegas and its surroundings are sure to be popular.