MGM Resorts flies to Anchorage the week local casino expansion opens

MGM Resorts flew from Las Vegas's Harry Reid International Airport to Anchorage's Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport on May 11, 2026, covering the 4-hour-52-minute journey at up to 36,000 feet and 470 knots. The Embraer Legacy 500, tail number N783MM, touched down just after 8 p.m. local time, marking an uncommon northward jaunt for the Vegas-based operator of Bellagio, MGM Grand, and other Strip icons.

The timing aligns with the opening of an expanded tribal casino near Anchorage, as the Native Village of Eklutna readies its 5,000-square-foot addition for play this May, per a Casino.org report from March 20. Though MGM Resorts has no announced stake in Alaska's nascent gaming market, the trip hints at scouting potential amid regulatory hurdles and local buzz around video gaming terminals and hospitality add-ons.

This outlier contrasts MGM Resorts' typical shuttles of high-rollers to recurring hubs like New York, Miami, and Los Angeles, as seen in recent LA-Vegas roundtrips on May 8. With CEO Bill Hornbuckle steering a fleet attuned to VIP whims, the Anchorage detour wryly underscores the endless hunt for the next big bet.