Virgin America Brings You Summer All Year: New Year-Round Palm Springs Flights Take Off

Published
02/12/2016 by

Virgin America, the California-based airline known for bringing the fun and style back to flying, today announces that its upscale, low-fare seasonal service from San Francisco to Palm Springs is being expanded to a year-round flight schedule.  Virgin America first launched its nonstop service to Palm Springs in 2011 from San FranciscoInternational Airport (SFO) and added service to John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) the following year.  Virgin America is celebrating its new year-round service today with an up to 20 percent discount* offer on its (SFO) to Palm Springs International Airport (PSP) flights. In addition, today Virgin America also launches a unique live exhibit at its gate at Palm Springs International Airport (PSP) in partnership with Modernism Week, an annual festival that highlights the region's mid-century modern design history and community. Together, Modernism Week and Virgin America teamed up to recreate a vintage mid-century airport gate experience – in a nod to the golden age of flying, Palm Springs' design roots and Virgin America's own stylish in-flight experience.

"As the only airline headquartered in California, we know that Palm Springs is a popular destination for our loyal Bay Area flyers – and couldn't be more pleased to be expanding our seasonal SFO-PSP schedule to year-round service," said John MacLeod, Senior Vice President of Planning and Sales at Virgin America.  "Our stylish, design-driven flight experience is a perfect match for travelers headed to the Desert Oasis.  This latest expansion reflects strong demand within California in particular and is a testament to the success of our service in the market to date."   

The new year-round SFO-PSP flights are on sale now and can be purchased at virginamerica.com or 1-877-FLY-VIRGIN**. Travelers can use the special promo code "PALM20" to score up to 20 percent off* the fare of their SFO-PSP flight now through 11:59 p.m. PSTon February 14 at www.virginamerica.com.   Virgin America's SFO to PSP service will operate four times weekly through the fall with weekly JFK to PSP flights remaining seasonal through May.

As of today through February 21, travelers arriving at Gate 7 at PSP will enjoy a chic take on the traditional airport gate that includes late 1960s era lounge chairs with matching ottomans, tables, Lucite lamps and more.  In addition to offering a stylish welcome to Palm Springs, the airline is also encouraging its guests to don their mid-century throwback finest.  Those who post a photo by February 21with the hashtag  #LetModFly, will be entered for a chance to win a complimentary upgrade on a Virgin America flight.

"The City of Palm Springs is absolutely delighted that Virgin America will now fly to and from Palm Springs year-round," said MayorRobert Moon. "Virgin America's stylish flights have been incredibly popular with sophisticated travelers visiting this region.  Also, this is reflective of the fact that Palm Springs is now a year around destination.  Therefore it is not a surprise there is more and more demand for flights to our legendary City of Palm Springs, which truly is like no place else."

Virgin America and Modernism Week's interactive vintage modern exhibit was designed by Marc Joseph of the Wonderama vintage furniture and art boutique in Palm Springs.  The gate exhibit will also include a custom-made backdrop by Los Angeles artist, Nat Reed, who is renowned internationally for his interpretations of the "Familiar Modern." Reed's last show, "Post-Fabricated, Reimagining the Already," was a highlight of Modernism Week last year.  

Palm Springs and the other cities that make up the region, including Desert Hot SpringsCathedral CityRancho MiragePalm Desert,Indian WellsLa Quinta, Indio and Coachella offer streets lined with palm trees, the best in shopping, art galleries and museums and outdoor dining – all amidst breathtaking scenery.  In addition to luxury resorts and world-class golfing, the region has welcomed an influx of hip boutique hotels and landmark events like the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.  Palm Springs has a history as the holiday home of many Hollywood stars from the 1940s on – and is known as the center of "Desert Modernism" mid-century modern architecture.  For more, visit: www.visitgreaterpalmsprings.com.  

Virgin America has been named the "Best Domestic Airline" in both Condé Nast Traveler's Readers' Choice Awards and in Travel + Leisure's World's Best Awards for the past eight consecutive years. In addition to a Main Cabin that offers custom leather seating with a deeper, more comfortable pitch, Virgin America's First Class cabin offers plush white leather seating with 55 inches of pitch, 165 degrees of recline and lumbar massagers. The carrier's Main Cabin Select service offers 38-inches of pitch, free food and cocktails, an all-access pass to media, dedicated overhead bins and priority check-in/boarding. The Red® entertainment platform offers guests their own seatback touch-screen, with +25 latest release films, TV, interactive maps, videogames, a 3,000 song library, surround sound technology and an on-demand menu, which allows flyers to order from their seatback any time during a flight.  

Since its 2007 launch, Virgin America has created more than 2,800 new jobs and expanded its network to include AustinBoston,CancunChicagoDallas Love FieldDenver (starting March 15, 2016), Fort LauderdaleLas VegasLos AngelesLos Cabos,Newark, New York (JFK and LGA), OrlandoPalm Springs (seasonal), PortlandPuerto VallartaSan DiegoSan FranciscoSeattle, Washington D.C. (IAD and DCA), Honolulu and KahuluiMaui.