Why? - British Airways Increase Flights to Las Vegas, Aren't Tourism Numbers Down?
- Sam
- Aug 24
- 4 min read
Updated: Sep 4
British Airways has announced it will increase flights to Las Vegas from 10 to 13 weekly services from Heathrow for Summer 2026, a bold move that seems to fly in the face of current tourism trends. While BA is betting on Las Vegas' recovery, the numbers tell a rather different story about what's happening right now.
The Las Vegas Reality Check
Las Vegas is experiencing a significant tourism decline, with an 11% year-over-year drop in visitation for June 2025, seeing roughly 400,000 fewer visitors compared to June 2024. Visitor numbers fell from nearly 3.5 million in June 2024 to approximately 3.1 million this year, while passenger volume at Las Vegas's airport, Harry Reid International Airport, also declined 6.3%, from 5 million to 4.7 million.
June's decline isn't a recent blip either. Data from the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (the local tourism board) shows February 2025 experienced a nearly 12% decline compared to February 2024, with year-to-date figures showing a 3.9% decrease.
What's particularly concerning for international airlines like BA is that 13.2% fewer international travellers visited Las Vegas in June compared to last year. This suggests the decline isn't just domestic tourism softness, but a broader international retreat from the destination. Norse Atlantic had already decided to pull their service to Las Vegas from Gatwick.
Why the Decline?
High prices are keeping visitors away from Las Vegas, with hotel occupancy down 6.5% and room rates dropping. Tourism officials have cited economic uncertainty as a key factor, while members of the public cite pricing hostility from the hotels and casino's, with mandatory "resort fees" as high as $55 a night, a decline in affordable food and drink options, and fridges that charge you just for moving an item. Yes, really. Doesn't sound much like fun?
The "Trump Slump" on U.S. Tourism
The decline in international tourists extends beyond Las Vegas, reflecting broader concerns about travel to the United States under the Trump administration's renewed immigration policies. The administration's stricter approach to immigration enforcement and border controls has created uncertainty among international travellers. Fancy being carted away for having a meme on your phone?
This "Trump Slump" on tourism mirrors patterns seen during the previous administration, when international visitor arrivals to the U.S. dropped significantly due to perceived hostility toward foreign visitors and complicated entry procedures. For destinations like Las Vegas that rely heavily on international tourism, this policy climate creates additional headwinds beyond lets just say greed.
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Beyond the Strip - The Hidden Las Vegas Appeal
Perhaps BA's strategy isn't as puzzling as it first appears. Las Vegas has quietly evolved into much more than just a gambling destination, particularly for adventure-seeking travellers. The city serves as an excellent base for exploring some of America's most spectacular natural attractions.
Red Rock Canyon boasts impressive sandstone formations and desert landscapes just 20-25 minutes west of the Las Vegas Strip, rich in wildlife and native plant species with hiking trails of varying difficulties. For those willing to venture further, Valley of Fire State Park in Overton, Nevada, makes for an excellent addition to any trip. The hills around Las Vegas are also very popular with rock climbers, and offer year round training.
The real draw lies in the national parks within driving distance. Zion National Park is one of the most popular parks in America and an absolute must when visiting Las Vegas, offering massive sandstone cliffs of cream, pink, and red that soar into the sky, plus a unique array of plants and animals.
Have you heard of Bryce Canyon? Bryce Canyon welcomes fewer visitors than the Grand Canyon or Zion, but it is officially recognised for it stargazing opportunities, and with temperatures in July between a high of 29°C and a low of 14°C (we don't do Fahrenheit here) this offers a great alternative to the busy and blisteringly hot Grand Canyon.
Strategic Timing or Risky Bet?
BA's Las Vegas expansion could represent shrewd contrarian investing - entering a market when competition is retreating and prices are softening. If tourism rebounds by Summer 2026, BA will be well-positioned to capture recovering demand with increased frequency.
Alternatively, this could be a case of an airline planning based on historical performance rather than current trends. Las Vegas has traditionally been a strong leisure route for British travellers, and BA might be betting that current challenges are temporary rather than structural. Consider too the weakening dollar, and travel to the US could become a lot more affordable.
The success of this expansion will likely depend on whether BA can tap into the growing adventure tourism market around Las Vegas, rather than relying solely on traditional Strip-focused visitors. With proper marketing of the region's outdoor attractions, Las Vegas could attract a different type of British traveller - one more interested in hiking Zion's slot canyons than hitting the slot machines.
Whether this represents brilliant market timing or a expensive miscalculation remains to be seen. But one thing's certain - BA's betting big on a destination that's currently struggling to fill hotel rooms, let alone aircraft seats.
Sam
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