Mesa's far west connection: Farmington to Las Vegas

Out west, air service is not a luxury. It's a necessity, not just a way to hook up with business or leisure destinations, but a lifeline for folks in small towns. That's the case in far-flung Farmington, New Mexico (FMN), where Mesa Air Group is about to launch service to Las Vegas (LAS) under the US Airways Express banner.

Flights will not be frequent, but they will be critical, connecting travelers in the remote Four Corners region of the country with Las Vegas McCarren International Airport, a major hub in this part of the world.

Mesa will ply the route six times per week, Sunday through Friday. Flights start February 1, and there's an en-route stop in Cedar City, Utah (CDC) to pick up more passengers.

The round-trip last-minute, full walk-up fare between Farmington and Las Vegas is $498. That's classified as a "Y6" fare.

More reasonable is another walk-up varient, the MA0N1 rate. It's $398 round-trip. There are some discount airfares to be had here. A seven-day advance purchase goes for $299, and a 14-day prior purchase for $199. Both of those advance purchase discount airfares are round-trip.

© Cheapflights Ltd Jerry Chandler