A new daily direct flight between Albuquerque and Hollywood Burbank Airport is expected to begin early next year, according to a release from Albuquerque International Sunport.
The Southwest Airlines flight will begin Jan. 17, according to the release, which called the announcement “a testament to Albuquerque’s growing film industry.”
Tickets are on sale now at southwest.com, which shows the two-hour flight departing Albuquerque daily at about 3:05 p.m. The eastbound flight departs California at 11:30 a.m. Pacific Time, arriving in Albuquerque at about 2:25 p.m. Mountain Time. As of Thursday, tickets were listed between $99 and $189 each way.
The flight will be the Sunport’s first daily service offering connecting the two airports, although Southwest, Delta Air Lines and American Airlines currently offer daily direct service between Albuquerque and Los Angeles International Airport, according to Sunport spokeswoman Stephanie Kitts.
“The Sunport is New Mexico’s connection to the world, and service to and from Burbank is a big boost as filming continues to ramp up in our state,” said Mayor Tim Keller, according to the release. “This new service not only provides better connection for our film industry, but also opens new doors for economic development and tourism with southern California — a win for building a gateway to the southwest.”
According to the release, Southwest also plans to increase the frequency or number of flights from Albuquerque to several cities, including Dallas, Houston, Las Vegas, Phoenix and San Diego, starting in the first quarter of 2022.
