Las Vegas Airports: Navigating The City's Aviation Landscape

Las Vegas is served by several airports, with Harry Reid International Airport (formerly McCarran International Airport) being the primary airport. Located just two miles outside of downtown Las Vegas, it is the busiest airport in the city, serving millions of visitors annually with commercial flights. Other airports in the Las Vegas metropolitan area include Henderson Executive Airport, North Las Vegas Airport, and Jean Airport. These airports cater to different types of travellers and aircraft, ensuring a smooth and enjoyable travel experience for the millions of visitors flying into Las Vegas each year.

Harry Reid International Airport (formerly McCarran)

Harry Reid International Airport, formerly McCarran International Airport, is the most famous and busiest airport in Las Vegas. It is located in Paradise, Nevada, just two miles outside of downtown Las Vegas and the famous Strip. The airport is named after the late US congressman and senator from Nevada, Harry Reid, who passed away in December 2021. The name change occurred in December 2021 and was approved by the FAA in June of that year. The original name, McCarran International Airport, honoured Senator Pat McCarran, but reports of his history of racism, xenophobia, and antisemitism led to the change.

The airport has four runways and two terminals with five gate areas (concourses) all connected by a people mover system. Terminal 1 was built in 1963 and expanded between 1970 and 1974, while Terminal 3 was added in 2012. Terminal 2 was demolished in 2016. There are a total of 108-110 gates across the two terminals, numbered 1 and 3, and a satellite concourse called Concourse D. Terminal 3 has 14 gates, seven domestic and seven international, with four of the latter having two jetways to accommodate wide-body aircraft.

Harry Reid International Airport is served by over 30 airlines, including Allegiant Air, Frontier Airlines, JSX, Southwest Airlines, and Spirit Airlines. Southwest became its dominant carrier in the 1990s. In 2024, the airport saw over 58.4 million passengers pass through, the most in its history. The airport offers international flights to cities in Asia, Europe, and North America.

The airport has a unique claim to fame as one of only two airports in the United States with slot machines inside its terminals. It also pioneered the use of common-use terminal equipment (CUTE) at gates and check-in counters, as well as radio-frequency identification (RFID) for baggage tracking.

Henderson Executive Airport

Las Vegas has a total of 54 public airports in the Nevada area. One of these is the Henderson Executive Airport. The airport is surrounded by and underlies the Las Vegas McCarran International Airport (now known as Harry Reid International Airport).

Harry Reid International Airport, formerly known as McCarran International Airport, is an international airport serving the Las Vegas Valley, a metropolitan area in Nevada. It is located five miles (8 km) south of downtown Las Vegas, in the unincorporated area of Paradise, and covers 2,800 acres (4.4 sq mi; 11.3 km2) of land. The airport is owned by Clark County and operated by the county's Department of Aviation. It has four runways and two terminals with five gate areas (concourses) all connected by a people mover system.

Harry Reid International Airport first opened in January 1943 as Alamo Field and initially catered to general aviation. The airport changed its name in June 2021 to honour the late US congressman and senator from Nevada, Harry Reid.

North Las Vegas Airport

Las Vegas has a total of 54 public airports, with the most famous and busiest being Harry Reid International Airport. Harry Reid International Airport, formerly known as McCarran International Airport, is located just 2 miles outside of downtown Las Vegas and the famous Strip. The airport has two terminals and four runways, and is one of only two airports in the United States with slot machines inside the terminals.

Another airport in Las Vegas is the North Las Vegas Airport, also known as Northtown. It is a public-use airport located 3 miles (4.8 km) northwest of downtown Las Vegas. It is owned by the Clark County Commission and operated by the Clark County Department of Aviation. North Las Vegas Airport is the second busiest public-use government airport in the Las Vegas area and the third busiest in Nevada. It is primarily used for general aviation and scenic tours, allowing Harry Reid International Airport to focus on airline flights. The airport has three asphalt runways and, as of August 2015, had 536 aircraft based there.

The history of North Las Vegas Airport dates back to December 7, 1941, when it opened as Sky Haven Airport. However, due to the attack on Pearl Harbor on the same day, the airport's opening was overshadowed. In 1968, the Hughes Tool Company purchased the airport, then known as the North Las Vegas Air Terminal. From 2003 to 2006, Scenic Airlines operated commercial flights to Ely and Elko, Nevada, under the Essential Air Service program.

Safety incidents at North Las Vegas Airport include a crash involving a twin-engine Piper Aerostar in 2013, in which the aircraft burst into flames but the two occupants escaped uninjured. More recently, in July 2022, two single-engine aircraft collided in mid-air, resulting in the tragic deaths of all four occupants.

Jean Airport

Las Vegas is served by several airports, including the famous Harry Reid International Airport (formerly McCarran International Airport), which is the busiest airport in the city. However, when discussing airports in Las Vegas, Jean Airport is also mentioned.

Las Vegas' Harry Reid International Airport (IATA: LAS, ICAO: KLAS, FAA LID: LAS) is located 5 miles (8 km) south of downtown Las Vegas, in the unincorporated area of Paradise, and covers 2,800 acres (4.4 sq mi; 11.3 km2) of land. The airport has four runways and two terminals with five gate areas (concourses) all connected by a people mover system. It is one of only two airports in the United States with slot machines inside the terminals.

Overton Municipal Airport

Las Vegas is served by several airports, including the famous Harry Reid International Airport (formerly McCarran International Airport), Henderson Executive Airport, North Las Vegas Airport, and Jean Airport. Overton Municipal Airport is another airport in the region, located in Clark County, Nevada, United States.

History of Overton Municipal Airport

Location and Facilities

The airport is situated two nautical miles (approximately 4 km) north of Overton's central business district and covers 250 acres of land. It is owned by the Clark County Commission and operated by the Clark County Department of Aviation. Overton Municipal Airport is classified as a general aviation facility, catering to private and recreational pilots. The airport features a single runway, designated 13/31, with an asphalt surface measuring 4,811 by 75 feet (1,466 x 23 meters).

Services

Frequently asked questions