Florida-based National Airlines plans to start a twice-weekly scheduled red-eye service between Vancouver International Airport and Orlando, Florida’s Orlando-Sanford International Airport starting January 20, Vancouver Airport Authority (VAA) announced October 1.
The airline will use Boeing 757-200 planes that are able to have two seat configurations. One can accommodate 184 passengers whereas the other can hold 170 passengers.
Flights will leave Vancouver at 11:55 p.m. on Wednesdays and Saturdays and arrive in Orlando at 8:30 a.m. the following morning. Return flights also operate on Wednesdays and Saturdays. They leave Orlando at 6:45 p.m. and arrive in Vancouver at 10:15 p.m.
The new service is expected to create 45 new jobs, add $1 million in new taxes and $3.2 million in Gross Domestic Product for British Columbia, according to the VAA.
“We are delighted to welcome a new carrier to YVR which will boost tourism and provide greater selection for travelers when headed to sunny Florida,” VAA CEO Craig Richmond said in a release.
“This new service increases YVR’s overall capacity to Orlando and provides a direct link to the city’s second airport.”
The Orlando-Sanford airport is located midway between Orlando attractions, such as Walt Disney World, and Daytona Beach. Both those destinations are less than a 50-minute drive from the airport.
