Harry Reid International Airport
Harry Reid International Airport (LAS IATA), formerly known as McCarran International Airport, is the main airport of Las Vegas. The gate areas are famously full of slot machines, fittingly enough for Sin City.
Understand
[edit]
For departing flights:
- Allow plenty of time for security screening, especially on those days when major conventions end. Or schedule your flight at another day or time if you can.
- Curbside check-in counters can save time, but will cost you $4 per bag and a tip, and if you are flying an "open" ticket, you won't be allocated a seat number until boarding time — likely an undesirable one.
The airport's former name honored Pat McCarran, a senator from the state of Nevada who had been in office for over 20 years. Noted for his advocacy of aviation, McCarran's tenure was also marked by anti-Semitic and racist policies, which generated controversy and calls to rename the airport. The airport was renamed in 2021 after Harry Reid, another senator from Nevada who had served for three decades.
Airport information
[edit]- Harry Reid International Airport website
Flights
[edit]See also: view full list of airlines at Harry Reid International Airport.
- T-1 Terminal 1: Most domestic flights
- A Gates: Allegiant, Spirit
- B Gates: Southwest, Spirit, Avelo, New Pacific Airways
- C Gates: Southwest
- D Gates: Advanced, Delta, American Airlines
- T-3 Terminal 3: All international flights, with service from Canada, Mexico, the UK, the Netherlands and Panama among other places, and some domestic flights
- D Gates
- International: Aeromexico, Air Canada, Flair Airlines, Viva Aerobus, Volaris, WestJet, Condor (D or E Gates)
- Domestic: Breeze Airways, Frontier, JetBlue, Hawaiian, Sun Country Airlines, United
- E Gates
- 1 JSX. is in their separate terminal at 1516-A Haven St at the opposite side of the runways from the main terminal.
- D Gates
The D gates are between Terminals 1 and 3. All gates are connected to each other airside (you may have to ride a people mover).
Terminal 1 opened in 1963. It has been heavily renovated since, but now looks like a dated relic of the early 1990s. It has low ceilings in several areas, especially the C Gates. Terminal 3 opened in 2012 and features a contemporary design with high ceilings. Terminal 2 closed in 2012 and has been demolished.
Ground transportation
[edit]The airport is the busiest in the world without an airport rail link. The Las Vegas Monorail does not extend to the airport and possibly never will, but there are other options. To travel between the airport and your Strip hotel:
By taxi
[edit]- Taxis cost $19, $23, or $27 from the airport to a Strip location. The Nevada Taxicab Authority has established flat rates for trips from the airport to hotels on or near the Strip, with fares of $19 for the south zone, $23 for the central zone, and $27 for the north zone. Outside the specified zones, metered rates continue to apply. The taxi line is well organized and the city taxi dispatcher will direct you to a numbered space along the curb. You need not tip the taxi dispatcher. If you feel you have been taken advantage of by the taxi driver, take down the driver's license number and contact the Nevada Taxicab Authority.
- Limousines cost ~$35.
By public transit
[edit]Public transportation is at Terminal 1, Zero Level. Only the 'CX' bus serve both Terminals 1 and 3. They also have a transit center (bus station) south of the airport for transfer to additional buses at the 2 South Strip Transit Terminal (SSTT):
- 3 Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) costs $2 each way; $3 with 2 hour pass or $5 for 24hour pass on regular Residential Routes (100s & 200s); and $4 per boarding; $6 with 2 hour pass, or $8 for 24 hour pass for the Deuce Buses along the Strip. The following routes serve the airport (click here for a list of bus routes):
- Bus 108 departs every 20–30 minutes from Terminal 1. The 108 bus travels along University Center (goes by University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV)) and Paradise Road to the Convention Center and the LV Hilton, taking about 20–25 minutes. At the intersection of Paradise Road and Las Vegas Blvd (the Strip), you can switch to the Deuce bus, traveling north to downtown or south to other hotel casinos. Going south from downtown to the airport, this bus travels primarily on Paradise Road which parallels the Strip.
- Bus 109 runs from Terminal 1 and goes to the South Strip Transfer Terminal (SSTT) where one can change to Greyhound & Flixbus or the Deuce which goes up towards downtown via Las Vegas Blvd (the Strip) from Hidden Well Rd. Going in the opposite direction from SSTT and Terminal 1, this bus goes north towards downtown along Maryland Pkwy which also passes by UNLV. In addition, travelers can transfer to 104, 117, 122, 212 and 217 at the SSTT to reach other areas of Las Vegas and Henderson by bus.
- Centennial Express (CX) runs from Terminals 1 & 3 to the University of Nevada in Las Vegas (UNLV); Wynn resort, Palazzo, TI, Fashion Show Mall along Maryland Pkwy, Flamingo and I-15, before serving Bonneville Transit Center and downtown Fourth street and Carlson. From downtown this route continues to Centennial Hills via US-95. It crosses the Strip at Flamingo and Las Vegas Blvd.
- Shuttle Buses & vans will take you to any hotel on the Strip (around $15 return), downtown (around $30 return) or anywhere in the area. Some hotels offer their own shuttle service.
By intercity bus and shuttle
[edit]Except with Greyhound all the local and long distance buses and shuttles are at Terminal 1, Zero Level, 4 Courtesy Shuttle Zone:
- Integrity Shuttle, ☏ +1 775 751-1111. Taxi or shuttle to Parhump.
- Vegas Airporter (formerly Aloha Airport Express), (bus stop) Quality Inn @ 271 Lake Havasu Ave S, Lake Havasu AZ, ☏ +1 928 854-5253. Goes down to Laughlin, Mojave/Ft Mojave, AZ; Needles, CA and Lake Havasu, AZ. They also operate the Amtrak Thruway Shuttle from the airport and the downtown Bonneville Transit Station to the Southwest Chief in Kingman, Arizona. Click here for a list of additional bus stops in the cities/towns they serve or call them for pick up/drop off at your chose location.
- Salt Lake City Express, (bus station) 1140 S Bluff St, St George UT (their St George station is one of several stops in St George), ☏ +1 208 656-8824. Connects Harry Reid International Airport to St George, Utah via Mesquite and Beaver Dam, Arizona. From St George passengers transfer to their other buses to continue north towards Salt Lake City or east to Hurricane, Utah. Bus company serves multiple cities in Idaho, Montana, Utah and Wyoming. Tickets can also be purchased through Greyhound, Flixbus, or Megabus.
- St. George Shuttle, (office) 1275 E Red Hill Pkwy, St George UT, ☏ +1 435 628-8320, toll-free: +1 800 933-8320. Bus service between the airport and St. George Utah through Mesquite, Beaver Dam and Sun River, UT
- 5 Greyhound, Flixbus, (bus station) RTC South Strip Transfer Terminal (SSTT) @ 6675 Gilespie St (Bay 10, RTC South Strip Transfer Terminal near Sunset Road, south of Harry Reid International Airport), ☏ +1 702 384-9561, toll-free: +1-800-231-2222. Operates buses to/from Kingman (AZ); Los Angeles, (CA), San Diego, San Bernardino, Bakersfield, Denver; and Phoenix, (AZ via Flagstaff) on multiple routes. Ticket counter inside the RTC Terminal Building in the middle of the transit center. Buses board at Bay 10 on far west of the transit center (location of map marker). From the airport take the southbound (sb) 109 bus going to the South Strip Transit Terminal.
By rental car
[edit]6 The Rent-A-Car Center(7135 Gillespie Street) is off-site, about three miles south of the airport across I-215. Shuttle buses circulate between Terminals 1 and 3 and the Rent-A-Car Center approximately every five minutes; the trip takes about seven minutes each way (when there is no traffic).
- Arriving passengers should follow the signs for Ground Transportation and board the shuttle at the designated bus stops at Terminals 1 and 3. At Terminal 1 the shuttle buses are at the center median outside doors 10 and 11 at the lower level. At Terminal 3 the shuttle buses are level 00, outside doors 51-54 at the west side of the terminal and outside doors 55-58 on the east side.
- If continuing to an off-airport rental company, not at the Rent-A-Car Center, follow signs to the "Off Airport Rental Shuttles" to the taxi stand at the outer curb closest to Gillespie Rd. The bus stops for the rental car company shuttles share the same lane as the taxis. The rental companies operate a regular shuttle to pick-up/drop off at every 15-20min. Otherwise call the rental company if they pick up from the airline terminals or to ask for specific pick-up points or to be picked up on demand from the Rent-A-Car Center.
- Departing passengers should follow the signs for Rental Car Return, then board the bus to either Terminal 1 at the curb closest to the Rent-A-Car Center main lobby or at the middle curb (also the same lane for Uber and taxi pick-up) for going to Terminal 3. Follow signs. Since travel and wait times may vary by traffic conditions and passenger volume (e.g. after a major event), passengers should allow sufficient time to return their car and catch the shuttle in time to check in for their flight.
At the Rent-A-Car Center, a clerk will assign you a vehicle and direct you to a space in the vast parking garage that surrounds the center. If they hand you a form to record existing damage, walk around the car and record all such damage before you start the car. If you don't do that, the guard at the garage exit will recommend that you do so before leaving, and while you work on that, you will annoy everyone stuck in line behind you.
As of 2023, high rental car rates due to the COVID car shortage and high overnight parking fees at Strip hotels are causing many tourists to become creative in controlling rental car costs. One common strategy (if one has a late flight) is to reserve a car for midnight on the last day of one's visit, then stay up late sightseeing and gambling the night before and then taking the Deuce bus to the Rent-A-Car Center at around 11PM to pick up the car. If you try that, don't be surprised to see large crowds and long lines at 11:45PM in the Rent-A-Car Center.
By ride hailing app
[edit]Lyft and Uber pickup is on level 2 of the parking garage in Terminal 1, and on the valet level of the parking garage in Terminal 3.
Get around
[edit].jpg)
A free shuttle runs every 12-15 minutes between the terminals before security. It has the McCarran logo on it.
At Terminal 1, the shuttle bus stop is located on Level Zero. From baggage claim, take the elevator or escalators down one level and exit the terminal building. Take the pedestrian crosswalk toward the covered parking garage to the courtesy shuttle stop.
At Terminal 3, the shuttle bus stop is located on Level Zero in the center of the curb.
A tram (people mover) ride is required for flights to and from concourse D. When departing from Concourse D, passengers flying with Air Canada, Cal Jet, Frontier, Hawaiian, Sun Country Airlines, or United take the Red line from Terminal 3. Other airlines take the Blue line from Terminal 1. The only other tram, the Green line, is used to speed up travel between Terminal 1 and Concourse C.
All three tram lines are airside, which means that you can move between any of the gates during a layover without having to go through security again. If you have a long layover and want to use the tram to explore other concourses, make sure you leave yourself enough time, as Terminal 1 in particular is quite confusing to navigate. Some of the signs that claim to point to other gates in fact point out of the secure area, so pay attention. If you get lost, remember that the blue line connects the D gates with the C gates, which you must pass by if you're trying to get to/from A or B. (Or look at the map.)
Wait
[edit]
The airport is one of the few in the world to have slot machines in it, meaning you can lose your entire vacation budget within minutes of stepping off the plane. There's not much else to do after security... maybe that's to encourage you to waste your money at the slot machines. Additionally, LAS allows smoking in some self-contained rooms with slot machines.
There are a few small massage parlors and spas scattered around the airside area.
- Aviation Museum (main exhibit in Terminal 1, Level 2 above baggage claim; other exhibits are sprinkled throughout the airport), ☏ +1 702-455-7968.
Eat and drink
[edit]Drinking water fountains can be found throughout the airport.
- 1 Moe's Southwest Grill, Gate A15. 5AM–1AM daily. Burritos, burrito bowls, nachos, and quesadillas, surprisingly tasty as evidenced by the occasional lines stretching out the entrance. Like Chipotle, you choose which ingredients you want added to the burrito and the person behind the counter adds them. The veggie burrito is perhaps the best vegan option at LAS (if you ask them to leave off the cheese). $12–19 including a drink.
Buy
[edit]Jewelry, Vegas souvenirs, and the usual selection of travel necessities, plus "duty-free" shops with brand-name cosmetics, alcohol, etc.
Currency exchange is outside security in Terminal 1 and Terminal 3.
- Liquor Library (Terminal 1 baggage claim, across from carousel #1), ☏ +1 702-261-3100, orders@liquorlibrarylv.com.
Connect
[edit]The airport provides free Wi-Fi without registration.
There's a post office in Terminal 1. Mailing items is sometimes cheaper and easier than paying airline baggage fees.
There are still pay phones and courtesy phones throughout the airport.
Cope
[edit]Lost and found offices are on level 2 (landside) of each terminal.
Currency exchange is available outside baggage claim in Terminals 1 and 3.
Sleep
[edit]There are scores of hotels across Vegas and they are used to people coming and going at all hours of the day and night with the following closest to the airport:
- Zero Level Fitness. Located in the arrivals hall of Terminal 1. A 24-hour gym containing small sleep rooms. Includes access to the fitness center, showers, and towels. This would be closest to an on-site hotel & gym.
This Best Western is located north of the airport terminals and is located next to several off-site car rental companies
- 1 Best Western McCarran Inn, 4970 Paradise Rd, ☏ +1 702-798-5530. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: noon. Free airport shuttle (5AM-11PM), breakfast, and WiFi.
The following are additional hotels surrounding the Rent-A-Car Center, south of the airport, where travelers can return their cars the day/night before an early morning departure. Others may base themselves here and use public transit to save money on car rental in getting around. The #117, 217 or Deuce bus go eastbound (EB) along Warm Springs Rd to the South Strip Transit Terminal for onward connections to Amtrak, Greyhound, Deuce bus to go further north on Las Vegas Blvd (north of Hidden Well Rd) into the Strip, or other RTC buses to other parts of town. Some of the hotels provide shuttles to either the Rent-A-Car Center or the airline terminals:
- 2 Tru by Hilton Las Vegas Airport, 6862 Gilespie St (NE corner of Gilespie St & Hidden Well Rd), ☏ +1 702-213-8300. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM.
- 3 Homewood Suites by Hilton, 230 Hidden Well Rd (Next to Tru by Hilton on Gilespie and Hidden Well Rd), ☏ +1 702 407-0075. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11ANM.
- 4 Manor Inn, 7230 S Las Vegas Blvd, ☏ +1 702 939-9000. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: noon.
- 5 Siegel Select, 7260 S Las Vegas Blvd (behind Arco Station at S Las Vegas Blvd & E Warm Springs Rd), ☏ +1 702 660-4823.
- 6 Taihiti Village, 7200 S Las Vegas Blvd, ☏ +1 702 440-6800. Check-in: 4PM, check-out: 10AM.
Nearby
[edit]Take a cab or Uber and check out the glitz and glamour of The Strip.