Nonstop flights between Las Vegas, Portland launched by Spirit Airlines

Miramar, Fla.-based Spirit Airlines will begin flying two nonstop flights a day between Las Vegas and Portland, Ore., in the fall as the discount carrier continues its expansion at McCarran International Airport.The low-cost carrier will begin flying the route Sept. 22, giving the airline an average of 16 daily flights to six destinations. A year ago, the airline had four daily flights to two destinations.Spirit also has nonstop routes to Detroit, Los Angeles International Airport, Dallas-Fort Worth International, Chicago’s O’Hare International and Fort Lauderdale, Fla., to Las Vegas. Most of Spirit’s flights are on the East Coast and to the Caribbean.Spirit will compete head to head with Southwest Airlines (27 flights a week) and Alaska Airlines (26 a week) on the route.

Steve Schreiber, aviation director of the Port of Portland, said Las Vegas is the city’s most favored route with about 450,000 passengers flying here each year.The two-hour flights from Portland to Las Vegas will leave at 7:30 a.m. and 6:10 p.m., with return flights leaving Las Vegas at 3:30 and 8:55 p.m.Spirit is launching the new route promoting a limited number of $9 fares to customers who are members of the airline’s $9 Fare Club, which costs $60 a year to join, but offers members deep discounts on some flights.