Harry Reid International Airport

Las Vegas's airport (LAS), renamed Harry Reid International in 2021, splits its traffic across two separate terminals. Terminal 1 handles the bulk of domestic flights — Southwest, Delta, American and others — through its A, B and C gates, while Terminal 3 handles international arrivals and some domestic carriers like United, British Airways, KLM and Virgin Atlantic through its E gates. The terminals aren't walkably connected landside; switching between them before security means a shuttle bus that runs every 20–30 minutes. Inside security, a color-coded tram (Green, Blue and Red lines) makes moving between gate areas fast, and Terminal 1's A, B and C gates also connect by pedestrian walkway.

Immigration and getting to your gate

International arrivals at Terminal 3 clear US Customs and Border Protection there before heading further into the airport; lines vary with flight-bank timing but are generally more manageable here than at larger US gateways, given LAS's relatively modest international volume for its size. Once through, the tram system and clear signage make onward connections straightforward.

Getting into the city

This is one of the most convenient airport locations of any major US city: the Strip is only about 3 miles away and downtown Las Vegas around 5 miles. Taxis to the Strip run $21–29 on the meter and typically take 10–20 minutes outside peak congestion. Rideshare (Uber/Lyft) is usually cheaper and picks up from designated levels in the parking garages — follow the signage rather than looking curbside. The RTC public bus system (including the Deuce and CX routes) is the budget option into town, though it takes longer and isn't ideal with heavy luggage. Most major Strip resorts don't run free airport shuttles, so plan on taxi, rideshare or public transit.

Practical tips

Traffic on Las Vegas Boulevard and around the airport can back up badly during major conventions (CES in January is the classic example) and on weekend evenings, so add real buffer to any Strip-bound ride during those windows. Free airport Wi-Fi is unlimited and easy to join, but exact network names have changed over time — check the SSID list on your device rather than assuming a name, and only trust the network that shows the airport's own sign-in page. And because rideshare pickup is garage-based rather than curbside, first-timers should follow the airport's posted signs rather than the default app pin.