VIRGIN Atlantic will launch Scotland's first scheduled flights direct to Las Vegas from next year.

Holidaymakers will be able to fly non-stop to Sin City from Glasgow Airport on once weekly flights starting in September, next year.

The airline will operate the service on four consecutive Thursdays - September 10, 17, 24 and October 1 - but a spokeswoman said if the service proved popular it would look to repeat or expand it in 2016.

The flight will depart Glasgow at 10am and arrive in Las Vegas at 11.55am the same day using a Boeing 747-400 configured with 375 seats in economy, 66 in premium economy and 14 in Upper Class, Virgin's business class cabin. The airline also operates flights from Glasgow to Florida.

Currently passengers can only fly direct to the gambling capital from Scotland on a chartered service operated by Thomas Cook, which flies from Glasgow Airport once a week during summer.

Francois Bourienne, ­Glasgow Airport's Commercial Director, said: "We are very proud to have a strong brand such as Virgin Atlantic operating from Glasgow Airport.

"Its Florida service has grown in popularity every single year since launching in 2007 and we are confident that Las Vegas will prove to be equally successful."