Qantas does Vegas direct

[RooFlyer]

Las Vegas. Sure, we've all been there or want to go there .. don't we? Who doesn't want to see the Eiffel Tower while sculling a Bud?

https://www.executivetraveller.com/news/qantas-jetstar-las-vegas-non-stop-flights

Ah. That's more like it:

But for Qantas, these five Boeing 787 flights are anything but a gamble.

Each plane is a special charter service carrying Rugby League fans to Vegas for the February 28 kick-off of the 2026 NRL season at the city’s 60,000-seat Allegiant Stadium.

Even more ah (from last December):

But while Qantas could default to a Sydney-Vegas route, Jetstar CEO Steph Tully has her eye on Brisbane-Vegas – or, as she puts it, “Bris-Vegas to Las Vegas.”

“It’s very Jetstar, we think,” she has told The Australian.

Very.

 

[FlyingKangaroo]

Well that headline certainly oversold expectations. Then again, I suppose, Airline flies a few one-off charter flights doesn't have quite the same clickbait appeal.

I saw them hyping this story up on Facebook too; going to be quite a few confused/disappointed punters out there a month from now.

 

[Aeryn]

If Im not mistaken this is the 3rd year of NRL fan flights to LV, so nothing to see here.

Also for many people LV is a once and done type place, much more business/leisure travel to LAX/DFW where there are superior onward connections and superior lounges.

 

[justinbrett]

This is a recycled story that pops up every year (thread - Qantas eying flights to Chicago, Seattle, Las Vegas & Athens)

These are charter flights. There is zero chance of QF offering regular scheduled services to LAS.

As for being “very Jetstar”, I don’t think the average JQ pax could afford it - and if they could, they’d spring for the extra $200 to fly with a better airline.

 

[FlyingKangaroo]

This is a recycled story that pops up every year (thread - Qantas eying flights to Chicago, Seattle, Las Vegas & Athens)

These are charter flights. There is zero chance of QF offering regular scheduled services to LAS.

As for being “very Jetstar”, I don’t think the average JQ pax could afford it - and if they could, they’d spring for the extra $200 to fly with a better airline.

Agree, though I find myself shipped there for work once a year (begrudgingly; I hate Las Vegas) and where policy only permits PY/PY-equivalent for that flight, I could see myself flying JQ "J" over QF with the stop at LAX or SFO. Still, won't happen, recycled, hyped-up slop aside.

 

[justinbrett]

Agree, though I find myself shipped there for work once a year (begrudgingly; I hate Las Vegas) and where policy only permits PY/PY-equivalent for that flight, I could see myself flying JQ "J" over QF with the stop at LAX or SFO. Still, won't happen, recycled, hyped-up slop aside.

It’s a moot point, but LAX is fine these days (especially on the return leg) - there’s no oneworld lounges in LAS (and the contract lounges are terrible). You’d really prefer a 15 hour flight on an uncomfortable JQ seat all to avoid a single stop connection to a 40 minute flight?

 

[Aeryn]

Last side trip we took to LAS was from SFO with some local friends, the less than one hour flight including luggage on South West was US$54 return per person. We'd happily been flying QF/BA J in/out of the US and AA "First" for all other US domestic flights but were happy to slum it for such a short trip as I suspect many others would be.

 

[FlyingKangaroo]

It’s a moot point, but LAX is fine these days (especially on the return leg) - there’s no oneworld lounges in LAS (and the contract lounges are terrible). You’d really prefer a 15 hour flight on an uncomfortable JQ seat all to avoid a single stop connection to a 40 minute flight?

JQ's "business" seat is as good or better than QF's PY seat, so yes, cutting 3-4 hours minimum off the flight would be worth it, and the LAS AMEX lounge is good enough.

But agree that LAX is far better than it used to be... haven't waited more than 10 minutes to get through immigration post-Covid.

 

[justinbrett]

JQ's "business" seat is as good or better than QF's PY seat, so yes, cutting 3-4 hours minimum off the flight would be worth it, and the LAS AMEX lounge is good enough.

But agree that LAX is far better than it used to be... haven't waited more than 10 minutes to get through immigration post-Covid.

Perhaps your views would be different if you had access to the QF LAX F lounge.

 

[FlyingKangaroo]

Perhaps your views would be different if you had access to the QF LAX F lounge.

I love a stellar lounge and have enjoyed a past visit to that one, but I spend way too much time in airports and my time at home, with family, or doing things that actually bring me real joy is worth more than an airport lounge, even a nice one, if it means a shorter travel time overall and an on-board experience that isn't materially worse.

For those for whom the lounge experience is a source of joy worth prioritising over saved time to do other things, sure -- in which case, enjoy. There was a time in my life I would have done so too; the novelty just isn't there anymore.

 

[Aussie_flyer]

Vegas has become a not so cheap place to holiday, partly why its suffering so badly now. Go back to cheap buffets and cheap rooms on the strip, free parking, better perks etc etc and maybe more JQ pax would be keen

 

[muppet]

My favourite part of this nonsense article is where QF suggests it can measure demand for direct Vegas flights based on these fully-paid, once a year, single-event, direct NRL charters!

“It’s a good opportunity for us to test the market and see what underlying demand is” for scheduled direct flights between Australia and Las Vegas, Wallace told Executive Traveller in late 2025.

 

[justinbrett]

My favourite part of this nonsense article is where QF suggests it can measure demand for direct Vegas flights based on these fully-paid, once a year, single-event, direct NRL charters!

To be fair, whenever I've flown LAS-LAX, there are always quite a lot of Aussies connecting on to QF flights; and QF can definitely pull the stats of the demand for LAS direct flights (which I think is what they meant to say) based on their codeshare performance into LAS.

The problem is, it's 20-30 pax tops, not a widebody load, so I think that's their answer.

I love a stellar lounge and have enjoyed a past visit to that one, but I spend way too much time in airports and my time at home, with family, or doing things that actually bring me real joy is worth more than an airport lounge, even a nice one, if it means a shorter travel time overall and an on-board experience that isn't materially worse.

For those for whom the lounge experience is a source of joy worth prioritising over saved time to do other things, sure -- in which case, enjoy. There was a time in my life I would have done so too; the novelty just isn't there anymore.

It's a moot point anyway, QF isn't going to happen, JQ is definitely not going to happen. The other issue even if there were direct flights to LAS, they might not go from the AU city you live in, whereas at least LAX is served by the big 3.

I quite like connecting in HNL LAS bound, have done it several times (and again next week) - the late night arrival into LAS I find works really well for jetlag. This is about to get easier now AS have taken over HA.

 

[RooFlyer]

Prefer Reno myself. Used to go regularly for conferences at the Peppermill. Classier than Vegas



Much better environment around - Tahoe and the Sierra Nevadas for afterwards.