Vegas Airport Size: A Sprawling Hub's Overview

Harry Reid International Airport, formerly McCarran International Airport, is a large airport covering 2,800 acres (11.3 sq km) of land. It is located 5 miles (8 km) south of Downtown Las Vegas and is the main airport for public and military use in the Las Vegas Valley. The airport has four runways and two passenger terminals, with a total of 110 gates. In 2023, it was ranked as the fifth busiest airport in the world in terms of takeoffs and landings, and 12th busiest for total passengers.

Harry Reid International Airport's location and ownership

Harry Reid International Airport, formerly McCarran International Airport, is located in the Las Vegas Valley, Nevada, US. It is about 5 miles (8 km) south of downtown Las Vegas, in the unincorporated area of Paradise. The airport covers 2,800 acres (4.4 sq mi; 11.3 km2) of land.

The airport is owned by Clark County and operated by the Clark County Department of Aviation. It is named after the late US congressman and senator from Nevada, Harry Reid, who represented the state in the Senate from 1987 to 2017.

The airport's history and previous names

Harry Reid International Airport has undergone several name changes and expansions since its inception in the 1920s. Here is a detailed history of the airport's previous names and a brief overview of its evolution:

The Airports History and Previous Names

The history of Harry Reid International Airport dates back to the 1920s, with the first iteration of the airport built on an airfield known as Anderson Field, which opened in 1920. The airfield changed ownership several times over the next decade before Clark County decided to purchase the land and construct a more modern terminal.

In 1941, the airfield was named McCarran Field after Nevada Senator Pat McCarran, who played a significant role in early aviation legislation and helped secure funding for the terminal's construction. In 1942, aviator George Crockett established Alamo Field, located south of Las Vegas, on the site now occupied by Harry Reid International Airport.

When the U.S. Army decided to open a base at McCarran Field, Clark County acquired Alamo Field, and it became the new McCarran Field in December 1948. The airport officially opened to airline flights in 1948, recording over 36,000 passengers in its first year, with 12 daily departures.

In the 1950s, the growth of the Las Vegas casino industry fuelled a surge in air traffic. To accommodate the increasing passenger numbers, a new terminal was built on Paradise Road, opening in March 1963. Five years later, in 1968, slot machines were installed at the airport, a feature that remains unique to Las Vegas and Reno airports in the United States.

In 1970, further expansion plans were initiated, including the addition of an esplanade, larger baggage claim facilities, a parking garage, and more gates. The deregulation of the airline industry in 1978 led to an increase in carriers operating at the airport, prompting officials to accelerate their expansion plans.

In 1985, a central terminal, Concourse C, and a people mover system connecting the two terminal buildings were introduced. By the late 1980s and early 1990s, America West Airlines was the busiest airline at McCarran, offering cheap night flights and capitalising on Las Vegas' 24-hour entertainment scene.

In 1991, Terminal 2 (initially called the Charter/International Terminal) opened, marking the airport's first foray into international traffic. This shift in focus led to attracting foreign airlines, with German leisure airline Condor launching scheduled transatlantic flights to Cologne/Bonn in 1996.

In 2003, the airport introduced Common-Use Self-Service (CUSS) kiosks, allowing passengers to check in and print boarding passes for any airline, enhancing convenience and reducing congestion.

To accommodate the growing demand, a third terminal, Terminal 3, was constructed in 2012, leading to the subsequent demolition of Terminal 2 in 2016.

Name Change to Harry Reid International Airport

In early 2012, calls for a name change emerged due to Senator McCarran's legacy of racism, anti-Semitism, and xenophobia. Nevada Senator Harry Reid was among those advocating for the change. However, it wasn't until the nationwide protests following the murder of George Floyd in 2020 that the movement gained significant momentum.

On December 14, 2021, the airport was officially renamed Harry Reid International Airport, honouring the former US Senator's contributions to the state and his role in securing funding for aviation infrastructure. Unfortunately, Senator Reid was terminally ill and passed away just two weeks after the renaming ceremony at the age of 82.

The number of runways and terminals

Harry Reid International Airport, formerly McCarran International Airport, has four runways and two terminals. The airport covers 2,800 acres of land and is located about five miles south of downtown Las Vegas.

The two terminals are not physically connected, and passengers travelling between them must use a shuttle service. Terminal 1 is for domestic flights, while Terminal 3 serves both international and domestic flights. Terminal 1 is comprised of A, B, C, and D gates, while Terminal 3 includes E gates.

The airport has a total of 110 gates across the two terminals and a satellite concourse called Concourse D. Terminal 1 contains three concourses labelled A, B, and C, while Terminal 3 houses the E gates and handles international arrivals. Terminal 3 and Concourse D are equipped to receive international flights, and a tunnel connects the international gates in Concourse D to the customs checkpoint.

Harry Reid International Airport is one of the busiest airports in the United States, serving as a gateway to the Las Vegas Strip, Grand Canyon, Death Valley, and other popular destinations. In 2023, the airport transported over 52 million passengers, with this number increasing to 58.4 million in 2024.

The size of the airport

Harry Reid International Airport, formerly McCarran International Airport, covers 2,800 acres (4.4 sq mi; 11.3 km2) of land. The airport is located 5 miles (8 km) south of downtown Las Vegas, in the unincorporated area of Paradise, and is owned by Clark County.

The airport has four runways and two passenger terminals, with a total of 110 gates. The runways are made of concrete and range from 8,988 ft (2,740 m) to 14,515 ft (4,424 m) in length. The airport has a unique feature of having slot machines inside the terminals, which is a rarity among airports in the United States.

The Marnell Air Cargo Center, located east of the passenger terminals, covers 200,928 square feet (18,666.8 sq m) and can handle 100,000 short tons (91,000 t) of cargo. The airport also has a consolidated rental car facility located 3 miles (5 km) away, with 5,000 parking spaces.

Harry Reid International Airport is a busy airport, ranking 5th busiest in the world in 2023 for takeoffs and landings, and 12th busiest for total passengers. In 2024, the airport handled a record-breaking 58.4 million passengers.

Passenger numbers and rankings

Harry Reid International Airport (formerly McCarran International Airport) is the 12th busiest airport in the world by passenger number. In 2023, it was ranked as the fifth busiest airport in the world in terms of takeoffs and landings.

In 2023, the airport established a new high for passenger traffic, with a record 57.6 million passengers, a 9.4% increase from 2022. In 2024, a record 58.4 million passengers passed through the airport.

The airport's growth can be attributed to the rise of the Las Vegas casino industry in the 1950s, which fuelled an increase in air traffic. The city went from receiving 36,000 passengers in 1948 to nearly one million in 1959.

The airport has also attracted foreign airlines over the years. In 1994, Condor Flugdienst began charter flights from Germany, and in 1997, it launched scheduled services from Cologne and Frankfurt. Northwest Airlines and Japan Airlines introduced flights from Tokyo in 1998, and Virgin Atlantic started flying from London Gatwick in 2000.

The airport is an operating base for Allegiant Air, Frontier Airlines, JSX, Southwest Airlines, and Spirit Airlines. Southwest became its dominant carrier in the 1990s.

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