As part of NavFile Group’s event operations, I traveled to the 2026 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas aboard a direct Delta Air Lines special service flight from Orlando International Airport (FAA/IATA: MCO, ICAO: KMCO) to Las Vegas Harry Reid International Airport (FAA/IATA: LAS, ICAO: KLAS) on January 5, 2026. Normally, Delta does not operate a direct Orlando-Las Vegas flight; however, as part of CES 2026, the airline added direct service to Las Vegas from Orlando and several other cities in the US. I flew on the Delta CES Shuttle flight during one of the busiest air travel days for the 2025 Christmas and 2026 New Year travel season at MCO and documented the experience.
Video
I also created a video of my trip. You can watch it on YouTube here.
Traveling on January 5, 2026 — One of the Busiest Holiday Travel Days
Before arriving at Orlando International Airport, the MCO team projected that January 5th, 2026 would be the 5th busiest day based on passenger volume for the 2025-2026 Holiday Season. When I arrived at the airport, I found that parking was not hard to locate in the Terminal B Garage; however, the Delta Air Lines ticket counter was filled with customers. To speed things up, I used the Delta Kiosk to print a bag tag and paper tickets. I then dropped off my bag using the Delta Sky Priority Bag Drop Line at MCO. Orlando has a relatively small Sky Priority counter, and the main line was long. The bag drop line was quick. I highly recommend it when the airport is busy.
Above is a photo of the Delta Air Lines Ticket Counter, Kiosks, and Check In area in Terminal B at Orlando International Airport (MCO / KMCO) on January 5th, 2026. Photo by David Aughinbaugh II for FlyRadius.
The standard TSA checkpoint line/area for Terminal B was fairly busy as well; however, nothing extreme from my viewpoint. The TSA PreCheck line was also busy. I estimate it took me about 10 to 12 minutes to get through. This may sound fast to others who travel at other major airports in the United States; however, this was one of the longest wait times for me at MCO. I typically get through in 5 minutes, which is great. Even though this was one of the busiest holiday season days, wait times were not extremely long at Orlando Airport on the last 2025/2026 holiday travel day.
2025-2026 Orlando International Airport Christmas Trees
Orlando Airport is well known for its display of Christmas Trees during the holiday season. The Terminal A/B East Atrium and the Terminal C Main Entry Area each have a giant Christmas Tree. Other parts of the airport, including the Airside gates and the Terminal C Train Station area, have large Christmas Trees. January 5th, 2026, was the last day that the trees were up in the terminals. I got to see two of them for the last time. The Terminal A/B East Atrium Christmas Tree was being taken down as I headed to the TSA PreCheck line.
Above is a photo of the Orlando International Airport (MCO / KMCO) Main Terminal's East Hyatt Atrium with a Christmas Tree for the 2025 Holiday Season. Photo taken on January 5th, 2026 by David Aughinbaugh II for FlyRadius.
Above is a photo of the 2026 Christmas Tree at Orlando International Airport's (MCO / KMCO) Airside 4, Gate 70 to 99. Photo taken by David Aughinbaugh II on January 5th, 2026 for FlyRadius.
Orlando International Airport (MCO) Departure Experience
After exiting the security checkpoint, I boarded the Terminal B Gate Link train to Airside 4 (Gates 70–99). This train system is currently being replaced by a new Mitsubishi Gate Link train and is the last remaining 1990s/early-2000s–era people mover in operation at the airport. Completion of the replacement project is expected by Fall 2027, so there is still time to catch a ride on the original system.
Above is a photo of Orlando International Airport's (MCO / KMCO) Gate Link Train Station for Gate 70 to 99 Airside 4 taken on January 5th, 2026. Photo by David Aughinbaugh II for FlyRadius.
Orlando Delta Sky Club - January 2026 Experience
On the other side, I took a look at the Airside 4 Christmas Tree and then headed into the Orlando Delta Sky Club. The Club was not busy in comparison to other times I have visited. In 2025, I noticed that the Orlando Sky Club was not as busy as in prior years. There I had orange juice and enjoyed the views of a rare fog covered Orlando. As usual, the Orlando Delta Sky Club is one of the better Sky Clubs in the Delta system. It was expanded in 2025 (see photo below), as part of Delta's continued investment in its airport clubs.
Above: a photo of the Orlando International Airport (MCO / KMCO) Delta Sky Club Stairs with the Delta SkyMiles American Express Reserve Card Sign. Photo taken on 1/5/2026 by David Aughinbaugh II for FlyRadius.
Above is a photo of the Delta Sky Club Seating at Orlando International Airport (MCO / KMCO) on January 5th, 2026. Photo by David Aughinbaugh II for FlyRadius.
Orlando International Airport Airside 4 Gate 70 to 99 Walk Around
After spending time in the Delta Sky Club, I headed out to walk around and tour Airside 4. Being an Aviation enthusiast, seeing airport operations is always a must for me. Overall, traffic was calm in the terminal. Airside 4 gates serve a variety of airlines that include Air Canada, Air Transit, Flair, Spirit, Frontier, LATAM, Viva, Volaris, and WestJet. Delta is the biggest tenant of Airside 4, with a whole wing (gates 70 to 79) of the terminal dedicated to them. Delta has grown to also use the gate 80 side of Airside 4. My flight departed from one of the 80 gates. Outside of the Delta gates, there was not much traffic among the other airlines.
Above: a photo of the Main Terminal at Orlando International Airport (MCO / KMCO) from Airside 4. Photo taken on January 5th, 2026 by David Aughinbaugh II for FlyRadius.
Above is a photo of Orlando International Airport's (MCO / KMCO) Airside 4 Direction Sign heading toward the atrium. Photo taken on January 5th, 2026 for FlyRadius by David Aughinbaugh II.
Boarding the Delta CES 2026 Shuttle Flight to Las Vegas
My flight to Las Vegas was aboard one of the special CES 2026 direct flights that Delta Air Lines operated to support travel to CES. The flight was operated with an 8000 series flight number that is usually reserved for special flights, including charters. The aircraft was positioned at Gate 81, which Delta uses as overflow from its standard location in the terminal.
As a Delta Gold Medallion member, I was eligible for upgrades; however, with this being a business traveler flight, I was 31 of 50 on the Delta First upgrade list. I cancelled my Delta Comfort upgrade request ahead of time to ensure that I did not get stuck in a seat without a window.
Boarding was straightforward and followed Delta’s boarding priority. I boarded with Zone 4, which is the Sky Priority group. This zone typically contains travelers who are Delta Medallion members who are not Delta 360 members, Diamond Medallion members, or seated in first class or Delta Comfort (formerly Comfort+). I was seated toward the rear of the aircraft. This was nice because I was able to almost walk the full length of the aircraft, which is something that I haven’t done in a while.
Side note: From my observations, the flight was not composed entirely of CES attendees. There were several families on board, as well as multiple business aviation pilots traveling in uniform.
Above is a photo of the seat back IFE system with a personalized Delta SkyMiles account message displayed on a Delta Air Lines Boeing 757-200 operating a 2026 CES shuttle flight from MCO to LAS on January 5th, 2026. Photo by David Aughinbaugh II for FlyRadius.
Aircraft and Cabin Configuration - Boeing 757-200
Delta elected to use the Boeing 757-200 jet for this flight to Las Vegas. The Boeing 757-200 is typically chosen to operate these types of special flights and charters. Last year, Delta also operated the Boeing 757-200 for CES Shuttle Flights. The Boeing 757 is a very popular plane among those in aviation. It is championed for its great performance and on the passenger side for its relative comfort. The only downside is that the Delta Boeing 757-200 has slightly smaller under-seat space for a bag compared to the Airbus A321 and Boeing 737-900ER. The cabin was configured with the standard domestic Boeing 757-200 seating arrangement (Delta 75D) that includes 20 Delta First Class seats, 35 Comfort (formerly Comfort+), and 144 main cabin or economy seats.
This specific Boeing 757 was tail number N6707A, MSN 30395, a year 2000 Boeing 757-232 with winglets. The aircraft was delivered directly to Delta on May 31st, 2000, and later served with Delta’s airline, Song. Song was Delta’s low-cost airline that competed with the likes of JetBlue, Spirit, and other airlines with no first-class section.
Above is a photo of the main cabin or economy class seats (seat 29D) with the IFE screens visible on a Delta Air Lines Boeing 757-200 operating a 2026 CES shuttle flight from MCO to LAS on January 5th, 2026. Photo by David Aughinbaugh II for FlyRadius.
In-Flight Experience from MCO to LAS
The overall flight from Orlando to Las Vegas on the 757 was great. That being said, most of my flights are good as long as I get to sit in a window seat that actually has a window. Those who travel often know that there are many planes that have window seats that don’t have a window. On this flight, I had a window seat at the rear of the aircraft. From the window seat, I got to see rare late morning fog/low ceilings that had not fully dissipated by the time we departed the gate.
Our flight departed from the gate a few minutes late, as a number of people were boarding the plane close to departure time. That, combined with it being a busy day at MCO, caused us to pushback at 10:17 AM instead of 10:14 AM. As we taxied from the gate, I encountered another delay, as several aircraft were lined up for takeoff on our assigned runway, 35L. However, I did get to see the South Long-Term Parking Lot, which is a great place to plane spot. We took off at 10:53 AM instead of the scheduled 10:24 AM. During the takeoff roll, we encountered the cloud layer very early. Also, a 2019 American Airlines Airbus A321neo (N405AN) from Philadelphia (PHL) was landing on 35R, which made for a scenic cloud departure. We headed north and then turned west to head over Tampa International Airport (TPA) and the Gulf of America (formerly the Gulf of Mexico). I ended up capturing a photo of the airport as we flew past it. Our flight path would take us over the Gulf toward the coast of Louisiana and then straight over Houston and west toward El Paso. From El Paso, we headed through the southwest portion of New Mexico and then through central Arizona. Along this route, I was able to capture some decent photos and videos of airborne aircraft.
Above is a photo of a Delta Air Lines Boeing 757-200 taking off from runway 36L at Orlando International Airport (MCO / KMCO) on January 5th, 2026. Photo by David Aughinbaugh II for FlyRadius.
While at cruising altitude over New Mexico, I captured a Southwest Boeing 737-800 (N8562Z) heading to Phoenix that flew next to and over us. It always amazes me that you can see aircraft at cruising altitude. You just have to keep an eye out for them as they are usually small and then quickly pass out of view as they come closer to the aircraft. From cruising altitude, I also captured Las Cruces International Airport (LRU/KLRU) in New Mexico.
Above is a photo of a Southwest Boeing 737-800 flying at cruising altitude. Photo taken from a Delta Boeing 757-200 flying MCO-LAS on January 5th, 2026. Photo by David Aughinbaugh II for FlyRadius.
Above is a photo of Las Cruces International Airport (LRU / KLRU) from a Delta Boeing 757-200 flying at cruising altitude (sky view). Photo taken by David Aughinbaugh II on January 5th, 2026 for FlyRadius.
Cabin Experience
The service in the cabin went well. The standard Delta Air Lines snack and drink service was provided along with a few rounds of water pass-throughs. I got my typical order, Biscoff cookies and Coke Zero. The in-flight entertainment system (IFE) and Delta Wi-Fi were operational for most of the flight, except for the last hour when the system shut down and had to be rebooted by the flight attendants. The system came back online about 20 minutes before landing. While in-flight, I made use of Delta’s Wi-Fi internet for business communications, flight tracking, and standard web browsing. I also used the IFE system for flight tracking and to watch CNBC, which had coverage of CES 2026.
Above is an image of the Delta Air Lines CES 2026 Shuttle Flight Boeing 757-200 tray table with a Delta 100-Year Edition Biscoff Cookie and a Coke Zero. Photo taken on January 5th, 2026 by David Aughinbaugh II for FlyRadius.
Above is a photo of the IFE screen on the Delta Air Lines CES 2026 Special Flight with CNBC live tv coverage of CES. Photo taken on January 5th, 2026 by David Aughinbaugh II for FlyRadius.
Turbulence
There was some turbulence on this flight. Nothing serious.
Landing and Arrival at Las Vegas (LAS) for CES 2026
Our approach to Las Vegas was for the east-to-west runways, which brought us in directly from the east to the airport. This brought us over some scenic Nevada landscape. The weather in the Las Vegas area was clear with a few light clouds. We landed on runway 26L, which is south of Concourse D, the gate location for all Delta flights. After landing, we taxied to gate D35 without any major delays; however, we arrived at the gate at 12:54 PM local time vs the scheduled 12:35 PM time. Not a major delay; however, it gave me less time to see if I could make it to NVIDIA’s CES event, where CEO Jensen Huang was going to give NVIDIA’s annual CES keynote.
Above is a photo of a window view from the Delta Air Lines CES 2026 Special Flight at Las Vegas LAS Gate D35. Photo taken on January 5th, 2026 by David Aughinbaugh II for FlyRadius.
Above is a photo of the Delta Air Lines CES 2026 Boeing 757-200 Registration N6707A at Las Vegas Gate D35 with the tower in view. Photo taken on January 5th, 2026 by David Aughinbaugh II for FlyRadius.
Baggage Claim and LAS CES Badge Pickup
Upon exiting the plane, I headed to baggage claim by heading to the Concourse D central train station and then taking the Blue Line train to Terminal 1. Traffic in Las Vegas was elevated; however, as expected for an event like CES. Las Vegas Airport is typically busy as the area is a very popular business event and tourist destination. From there, I walked quickly to Harry Reid International Airport’s expansive baggage claim area. After getting my bag off the carousel, I had planned to get my CES 2026 Show Badge from the in-terminal pickup location; however, found that the line was long and decided that it would be best that I pick up my badge at the hotel.
Above is a photo of Las Vegas Harry Reid International Airport's (LAS) Terminal 1 Baggage Claim Carousel 5 during CES 2026. Photo taken on January 5th, 2026 by David Aughinbaugh II for FlyRadius.
LAS Airport Rideshare Area
I then headed to the rideshare pickup while researching whether an Uber or Lyft would be the best option. I booked a ride on Uber and used a $25 Uber voucher that I had gotten for buying a Delta Centennial Gift Card Set. The rideshare loading area was very busy. I had never seen it as packed as it was. I recall waiting for 18 to 20 minutes, which was not bad for the number of people that were waiting for a rideshare. After that, I made a dash to check in and then head to the NVIDIA CES event.
How This Flight Compared to Regular Orlando–Las Vegas Service
It was a great honor to fly on one of these Delta CES 2026 shuttle flights. Last year, I also flew on one of the 2025 Delta CES shuttle flights as I attended my first CES. When comparing these flights to regular service, there is one main difference: no connection. Since Delta Air Lines doesn’t operate direct service to LAS, you always have to go through one of their hubs. In the past, this has included Atlanta, Los Angeles, Salt Lake City, and Minneapolis. For those who need to get to Las Vegas quickly and don’t like connections, this was a great flight. I am actually one of the few fans of connecting flights because I like seeing other airports, aircraft, and other cities. In this case, the direct flight was preferred because I had to walk fast to make it to the NVIDIA event and then the AMD CES Keynote. Other than the lack of a connecting flight, this flight was the same as any coast-to-coast Delta flight.
Tips for Flying to CES During Peak Travel Periods
As a two-year veteran of flying to CES at the end of the peak holiday travel season, here are some tips and recommendations.
Book flights around one month to two weeks out for domestic United States travel.
This is typically the best window for the lowest prices and flight and seat availability.
I was able to get an excellent Delta SkyMiles deal for my flight just slightly before the one-month mark.
The Las Vegas Casinos and Hotels also offer great deals in this window; however, you may want to extend the window a few weeks before one month.
Sign up for the airline and casino hotel reward programs.
You'll get a few added perks and can get great deals through the casino hotel reward programs just for being a member.
Arrive at the airport early.
This is one of the heavily repeated tips; however, you'll be more relaxed and can enjoy the airport scenery or the Delta Sky Club if you are a member. I try to arrive two hours in advance, unless my schedule requires arriving later.
Check your bag.
This is debatable because you will not have to wait for your bag at baggage claim; however, you will be able to traverse the airport with greater ease.
Bonus: If you check your bag with Delta, check out the 20-minute bag guarantee they offer. They give you a lot of free miles if it doesn't arrive on the carousel 20 minutes after you land.
Use the airport kiosks and the bag drop lines if you are checking a bag.
The lines move more quickly than the standard and Sky Priority lines, especially at MCO. In my observation, this is because people in the standard and Sky Priority main lines usually have questions to ask or need help.
Sign up for TSA PreCheck.
This is a great time saver, and most importantly, it makes going through the checkpoint a breeze.
Wear a non-metal belt. Wear nothing metal in general.
This will make things easier and quicker at the checkpoint.
Come up with your CES arrival gameplan before you arrive in Las Vegas.
CES is a mega event packed with things to see and do.
If you plan out what you are going to do when you land, you will be able to maximize your time to enjoy CES. You can do this on the flight as Delta and most airlines now have Wi-Fi internet connectivity.
In my case, I had a very limited amount of time to make it to events happening the day I landed in Vegas.
Study maps of the Las Vegas Airport, the Las Vegas Strip, and the casinos.
You will find that Las Vegas and the casino resorts are a gigantic maze. It's very easy to get lost in one of the casinos, as their directional signage can be confusing and lacking in many areas.
I recommend reviewing the airport and casino maps for each casino that you will have to traverse through.
Plan out your route ahead of time.
This is another big time saver.
- Use badge pickup at the LAS airport or at your hotel.
Enjoy the scenery!
Final Thoughts on Delta’s CES 2026 Special Flight
Delta Air Lines' special CES 2026 flight was a great experience that saved me a lot of time. This flight only happens once a year, so it was special to be a part of it. If you are planning to travel to the next CES in 2027, keep an eye out for Delta's CES shuttle flights. I expect that they will have them again next year.
Make sure to also watch my video covering the trip on YouTube.
