Getting To Vegas: Airport, Shuttles & The Drive In

Flying in

Almost every visitor arrives through Harry Reid International Airport (LAS), a couple of miles east of the Strip — one of the few major U.S. airports you can genuinely see resort towers from on final approach. The airport was known as McCarran International until it was renamed in 2021, so you'll still see the old name on older maps, luggage tags and some signage around town.

Because it sits so close to the Strip, taxi and rideshare rides to most Strip hotels run well under 20 minutes outside of peak congestion. That short hop is one reason Vegas works so well as a long weekend — you can land, check in and be at dinner with barely any travel-day tax on your trip.

Getting from the airport to your hotel

Rideshare pickup (Uber/Lyft) is the default for most travellers and is well signposted from baggage claim. Taxis queue outside every terminal and charge a metered fare — useful if you'd rather not fuss with an app after a long flight.

Most major Strip resorts also run their own shuttles or have hotel-branded pickup desks near baggage claim; ask at your hotel before you fly if this matters to you. If you're only staying on the Strip and not renting a car, you generally won't need ground transport again until you leave.

Driving in

Vegas is a classic road-trip terminus. It's a manageable day's drive from Los Angeles (across the desert via I-15), from Phoenix, and from Salt Lake City. If you're driving in from California on a Friday afternoon or Sunday evening, budget extra time — the I-15 corridor through the desert is notorious for holiday and weekend backups.

If your whole trip is Strip-based, a car is a genuine liability: parking, resort fees on top of parking at some properties, and traffic on Las Vegas Boulevard make walking, rideshare or the monorail more relaxing choices. Rent a car only if you're planning day trips out to the Grand Canyon, Red Rock or beyond.