OREANDA-NEWS. McCarran International Airport welcomed its first scheduled nonstop service from Switzerland today as Edelweiss Air made Las Vegas the second U.S. destination in its growing international network. Initially operating on Mondays and Fridays, Edelweiss will utilize 285-seat Airbus A330 aircraft on the Las Vegas route to and from Zurich's Kloten Airport. In addition to Las Vegas, Edelweiss serves more than 45 destinations in 28 countries around the world.

Cathy Tull, Senior Vice President of Marketing for the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, added, "We are extremely pleased to welcome nonstop air service to Las Vegas from Switzerland for the first time. Our new partnership with Edelweiss helps us to meet a growing demand in the European market providing greater accessibility for Swiss travelers as well as a convenient one-stop connection for other European travelers in the region."

Edelweiss is expected to bring an estimated 18,700 passengers to Las Vegas annually, and with international travelers known to stay longer and spend more money locally than their domestic counterparts, the LVCVA projects visitors who arrive on Edelweiss will generate more than USD 20.3 million annually in nongaming economic impact in Southern Nevada.

Edelweiss is owned by Germany's Lufthansa Group and focuses on leisure travelers. Working in tandem with its business-traveler-oriented sister airline, Swiss International Air Lines, the carriers' combined networks provide a steady feed into Zurich; this in turn will allow for a wide array of connection opportunities benefitting travelers throughout Europe and its nearby environs. Edelweiss's existing U.S. service is limited to Florida's Tampa International Airport.