Las Vegas: Airports

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Airports

The gateway to Las Vegas is McCarran International Airport (LAS), 5 mi south of the business district and immediately east of the southern end of the Strip.

McCarran International Airport (LAS), which is just a few minutes' drive from the Strip, is well served by nonstop and direct flights from all around the country and a handful of international destinations. It's also consistently rated among the most passenger-friendly airports in the United States.

Long layovers don't have to be only about sitting around or shopping. These days they can be about burning off vacation calories. Check out www.airportgyms.com for lists of health clubs that are in or near many U.S. and Canadian airports. In Las Vegas, McCarran Airport has a 24-Hour Fitness in the terminal that's open 5 AM - 11 PM weekdays and 6 AM - 9 PM on weekends. Guest day passes cost $10 - $15.

Also, McCarran is close enough to the Strip that if you ever find yourself with more than an hour on your hands, you can easily catch a 5- to 15-minute cab ride to one of the South Strip casinos, such as Mandalay Bay or MGM Grand, and while away some time. Additionally, as you might expect, McCarran has scads of slot machines to keep you busy.

Airport Information

McCarran International Airport (LAS) (702/261-5211. www.mccarran.com).

Ground Transportation

By shuttle van: this is the cheapest way from McCarran to your hotel. The service is shared with other riders, and costs $4.50 to $5.50 per person to the Strip, $6 to $7.50 to downtown, and $6 to $21 to outlying locals' casinos. The vans wait for passengers outside the terminal in a marked area. Because the vans make numerous stops at different hotels, it's not the best means of transportation if you're in a hurry.

By taxi: the metered cabs awaiting your arrival at McCarran are the quickest way of getting to your destination. The fare is $3.20 on the meter when you get in and $2 for every mile (plus 25¢ per every 41 seconds of standing in traffic), plus an airport surcharge of $1.20. The trip to most hotels on the south end of the Strip should cost $10 to $12, to the north end of the Strip should cost $13 to $18, and to downtown should cost $18 to $23. Beware of drivers who suggest taking the quickest route. They may take you through the airport tunnel and up I-15, which may be a few minutes faster but will cost considerably more because taxis charge by the mile. Drivers who take passengers through the airport tunnel without asking are committing an illegal practice known as "long-hauling." Ask a hotel employee to contact the Taxi Cab Authority if you need to report a driver, or you can call the Authority yourself at 702/486-6532.

Contacts

Bell Trans (702/739-7990. www.bell-trans.com). Checker/Yellow/Star Cab (702/873-2000). CLS shuttle (702/740-4050). Gray Line (702/739-5700 or 800/559-9522. www.grayline.com).