Merced currently offers two daily flights to Ontario in Southern California, but those flights will be discontinued.
The number of passengers flying out of Merced has dropped significantly since 2008 when Great Lakes Airlines began flying into Ontario instead of Las Vegas.
But the airport superintendent is confident that will change with the new flights to Vegas.
"I think for our community and the region we serve it's going to be a much better destination, and it opens up a lot more destinations from Vegas, being a major hub, getting from Merced anywhere in the world through Vegas will be much easier," said Ron Elliot, Merced Regional Airport Supt.
The Merced airport will offer two daily flights to Las Vegas, with ticket prices starting at about 80 dollars each way.
The Visalia municipal airport is keeping its flights to Ontario and has no immediate plans to add Las Vegas flights.
But the airport manager expects Visalia to eventually add the McCarran route.
