The fastest-growing domestic airline at McCarran International Airport in 2012 is starting the year the way it left off last year.
Miramar, Fla.-based Spirit Airlines today announced two new nonstop routes between Las Vegas and East Coast destinations.
Beginning April 25, Spirit will offer a daily nonstop flight between Las Vegas and Baltimore-Washington International Airport and Philadelphia International Airport. Both flights are scheduled for late arrivals in Las Vegas and “red-eye” departures back to the East Coast.
Flights will leave Baltimore at 7:30 p.m., arriving in Las Vegas at 9:20 p.m. The return flight leaves McCarran at 11:45 p.m., arriving in Baltimore at 7:45 the next morning.
Flights will leave Philadelphia at 7:45 p.m., arriving in Las Vegas at 10:15 p.m. The return flight leaves McCarran at 10:40 p.m., arriving in Philadelphia at 6:30 the next morning.
Spirit will compete with Southwest Airlines, which offers 15 flights a week, on the Baltimore route and with Southwest and US Airways in Philadelphia. Southwest currently has a single daily nonstop round trip to Philadelphia and US Airways, which uses Philadelphia as one of its international hubs, has 31 flights a week.
Spirit, known as a deep-discounting carrier with a multitude of fees, will use twin-engine Airbus A320 jets on the route.
The airline, which grew at McCarran 71.1 percent by passenger volume in 2012, has an average 19 daily flights to 11 destinations and maintains a 4.4 percent market share of seats into Las Vegas.
“We are thrilled to welcome additional service from both Baltimore and Philadelphia through our partnership with Spirit Airlines,” Cathy Tull, senior vice president of marketing for the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, said in a release issued by Spirit.
“Every new destination that is added to the schedule provides additional convenience and flexibility for travelers,” Tull said. “With record visitation to Las Vegas in 2012, every new seat provides opportunity for continued growth.”
Today’s announcement was part of a package of four Spirit new-service announcements. The airline also announced Houston-Los Angeles and Minneapolis-Denver flights.