Summary

  • Virgin Atlantic restarts Manchester-Las Vegas service with 3 weekly A350-1000 flights, expanding US connections from Manchester.
  • Route hailed as perfect for US West Coast explorers, adventure travelers, and entertainment seekers craving a trip to Sin City.
  • Norse Atlantic Airways and Aer Lingus to join in offering Las Vegas routes, with flights from London Gatwick and Dublin.

Virgin Atlantic has relaunched flights between Manchester and Las Vegas almost five years after discontinuing the route. The British carrier will operate three weekly flights between the two cities onboard its A350-1000s.

Virgin restarts Manchester-Las Vegas service

The airline’s first flight between Manchester (MAN) and Las Vegas (LAS) in almost five years touched down last Sunday, arriving in Sin City just after midday following a morning departure from Manchester. The thrice-weekly route will be served by Virgin’s modern fleet of Airbus A350-1000s, the largest variant in the A350 family and Virgin’s new flagship aircraft.

Virgin Atlantic Airbus A350-1000

Photo: Bradley Caslin | Shutterstock

Dom Kennedy, Senior Vice President at Virgin Atlantic Holidays, said,

“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. We know our customers love Las Vegas – there is so much to do in the city, from sports and entertainment to world-class dining. It’s also the perfect starting point for road trip holidays for those adventurous travelers looking to explore the US West Coast.”

The service is the only nonstop route connecting Manchester to the US West Coast, with Manchester also becoming the second UK city to benefit from a direct connection to Las Vegas alongside London. Virgin Atlantic and British Airways fly to Vegas from London’s primary airport, London Heathrow (LHR), while BA also operates a seasonal service from London Gatwick (LGW).

Additionally, Norse Atlantic Airways is due to launch a new seasonal route from Gatwick this September. Interestingly, Irish flag carrier Aer Lingus recently announced plans to fly between Dublin and Las Vegas this fall – the airline will launch a thrice-weekly service from October 25th through to April 29th, 2025.

Virgin previously served this route in the pre-pandemic era but operated its final flight in October 2019, with the ensuing COVID pandemic the following year preventing the route’s resumption. The carrier now flies to four US destinations out of Manchester, also serving Atlanta (ATL), New York JFK (JFK) and Orlando (MCO).

A350-1000 service

Travelers can look forward to flying onboard one of Virgin’s impressive A350-1000 aircraft for this approximately 10-hour trip, featuring business (or Upper Class), premium economy and economy cabins. The full schedule is as follows:

Flight

Days

Departure

Arrival

VS85 – MAN to LAS

Wed, Fri, Sun

09:50

12:25

VS86 – LAS to MAN

Wed, Fri, Sun

14:40

08:20+1

Related

How Does The Airbus A350-1000 Align With Virgin Atlantic’s Innovation & Sustainability Goals?

The A350 boasts several features that cater to Virgin Atlantic’s future needs.

The carrier inducted its first A350-1000s in August 2019, just weeks before it discontinued its Vegas route the following October. Fares for this service have been on sale since last summer, with prices for economy roundtrips starting at £856 ($1,087).

Did you ever fly on Virgin’s popular Manchester-Las Vegas route before the pandemic? Let us know your stories in the comments.

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