The Student News Site of Tenafly High School

The Echo

The Student News Site of Tenafly High School

The Echo

The Student News Site of Tenafly High School

The Echo

This Upcoming Super Bowl: Will Taylor Make It Swiftly?

It is time to “shake it off” at the Super Bowl this weekend with only one question in mind: will Taylor Swift make it on time to the big game? On Sunday, February 11, the San Francisco 49ers will be playing against the Kansas City Chiefs at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. This will be a very special Super Bowl as it is the 58th; what a coincidence, 5 + 8 equals 13, which is Swift’s signature number! Swift’s boyfriend, Travis Kelce, plays as the tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs; there’s no doubt that Taylor Swift loving him has been “Red.” However, before Swift can arrive at the “End Game,” a tremendously difficult journey awaits her, as she has to take a 12-hour flight from Tokyo to Las Vegas with absolutely no time to spare. 

Right after the Grammys, Swift hopped on her “Getaway Car” and aboard her flight to Tokyo to conduct four shows in a row. She started her first show on Wednesday, and she’s going to finish her last one on Saturday, February 10, the day before the Super Bowl. In simple terms, with a  17-hour time difference between Tokyo and Las Vegas, Swift has the chance to arrive at the Super Bowl during Reba McEntire’s singing of the National Anthem, before the kickoff at 3:30 p.m., due to her access to a private jet. However, under the covers, there is a greater amount of complexities and calculations involved within this plan. As Swift holds a tremendous amount of inspiration and power worldwide, the Japanese Embassy and government happen to be on her side. According to the San Francisco Chronicles, officials of the the Japanese embassy in Washington D.C. encouraged that “despite the 12-hour flight and 17-hour difference, the Embassy can confidently Speak Now to say that if she departs Tokyo in the evening after her concert, she should comfortably arrive in Las Vegas before the Super Bowl begins.” 

In order for Swift to finally attend the game, she would have to follow an excruciating plan. First of all, her final show in Tokyo is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. and is expected to depart the site at 9:30 p.m. if the show manages to last its average time of 3 ½ hours. In Las Vegas, her exit time translates to 4:30 a.m. Considering the 30-minute drive (if fortunate) to Tokyo’s Haneda Airport, she will need to board a flight of 12 to 13 hours and land at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas. Coincidentally, the flight would leave at “midnight” which is 7 a.m on Saturday in Las Vegas. That will allow her to finally obtain a nice goodnight’s sleep to reduce the jet lag (as she crossed nine time zones and the international date line), before heading to the stadium on Sunday. 

Despite her easy access to a private jet, the even more challenging part would be her access to a parking space. In fact, Heidi Hayes, a spokesperson of the County Clerk Department Aviation, claimed that Harry Heid International Airport and three other airports (located in the suburbs of  North Las Vegas, Henderson and Boulder City) provide only 475 parking spaces in which many have already been allocated. Another obstacle in her journey is air traffic, as heavy amounts of air traffic  have been expected duringSuper Bowl weekend. Several commercial airlines have already included multiple flights in their schedule. In fact, the air traffic is expected to be such a major complication at around the time of the Super Bowl that last year the Las Vegas airport stated that they dealt with a total of 57.6 million passengers. In order for her plan to function, Swift may need to be open to the possibility of embarking on a “drop-and-go” flight, in which the pilots first drop off the passengers and then continue to another airport for parking. Another option would be taking a mini road trip after her flight from Tokyo. However, there may also be alternatives from airports within the 100-mile radius, like Mesquite Municipal and Laughlin-Bullhead International, who might have available spaces. Furthermore, Ontario International and Palm Springs International are California airports within the 200-mile radius, who may also have available options. It would be beyond our “Wildest Dreams” for all of these difficulties to be resolved and for Swift to have an easy arrival to the big game.

Unfortunately, after the Super Bowl, there won’t be much time for Swift to rest and relax as her Eras Tour will proceed on February 16 in Australia. This will require her to take on an 18-hour flight from Las Vegas to Melbourne and lose a whole day due to the time differences. 

As complex as her plan of arriving on time at the Super Bowl, to support her star boyfriend, do not worry because if anyone can complete the journey it is Taylor Swift, as she is the “[Wo]man.” No matter where she leaves, the flight she takes, and the place she arrives at, at least we’ll know that, nevertheless, she’ll be doing it in “Style.”

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About the Contributor
Maria Estua Carrillo
Maria Estua Carrillo, Guest Writer
Maria Estua Carrillo (’27) is thrilled to be a Guest Writer for The Echo. She enjoys running for the THS cross country team, she participates in the track and field teams, and she play the violin for the THS symphony orchestra. In her spare time, she likes to bake, read, listen to Taylor Swift, watch TV, and spend time with her family and friends.