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Saline organic wastewater is one of the major problems in wastewater treatment industry. This study evaluated the ability of the glow discharge plasma technique to degrade the saline dye in an aqueous solution. Experimental results showed that the electrolyte concentration, initial pH, and initial C. I. Acid Red 73 (AR 73) concentration impact the AR 73 degradation significantly. Decreasing the electrolyte concentration, lowering the solution pH, and reducing appropriate amount of AR 73 to the solution were found to be favorable for AR 73 degradation. In addition, the common coexisting ions had a negligible negative impact on AR 73 degradation during the discharge process. The glow discharge plasma treatment also exhibited high degradation efficiency for other anionic and cationic dyes. In comparison with the photocatalytic degradation, electrocatalytic oxidation, and high density plasma, this process offers simple technology, higher energy efficiency, and easier applicability to salt-containing wastewater. Overall, the results reported herein indicated that glow discharge plasma may become a competitive saline dye wastewater treatment technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]