McCarran International Airport
Encyclopedia
McCarran International Airport is the principal commercial airport serving Las Vegas
and Clark County, Nevada
, United States. The airport is located five miles (8 km) south of the central business district
of Las Vegas, in the unincorporated area
of Paradise
in Clark County. It covers an area of 2800 acre (1,133.1 ha) and has four runway
s. McCarran is owned by Clark County and operated by the Clark County Department of Aviation
(DOA). McCarran Airport serves as a hub
for Great Lakes Airlines
. It serves as a focus city
for Allegiant Air
and Southwest Airlines
; McCarran is also the largest operation base for both Allegiant and Southwest. It is named after the former Nevada Senator Pat McCarran
.
In 2010, McCarran ranked 22nd in the world for passenger traffic
, with 39,757,359 passengers passing through the terminal. The airport ranked 9th in the world for aircraft movements
with 505,591 takeoffs and landings.
McCarran and the DOA are completely self-sufficient enterprises, requiring no money from the County's general fund.
As of November 2009, Southwest Airlines
operated more flights out of McCarran than at any other airport. Southwest also carries the most passengers in and out of McCarran. Southwest currently operates out of 21 gates, primarily in Concourse C. Since 2008, Canadian airline WestJet
has become the largest international carrier at McCarran.
The top five largest scheduled airlines at McCarran in number of passengers carried in the first 11 months of 2009 are Southwest Airlines (38.3%), US Airways/US Airways Express (11.8%), United Airlines/United Express (6.9%), Delta Air Lines/Delta Connection (5.6%), and American Airlines (5.5%).
McCarran Airport has more than 1,234 slot machines throughout the airport terminals. The slots are owned and operated by Michael Gaughan Airport Slots. Reno/Tahoe International Airport
also has 251 gambling machines both airside and landside.
Maximum capacity for the airport is estimated at 53 million passengers and 625,000 aircraft movements. As McCarran is predicted to reach this capacity around 2017, Ivanpah Airport is planned as a relief airport
.
American aviator George Crockett, a descendant of frontiersman Davy Crockett
, established Alamo Airport in 1942 on the site currently occupied by McCarran International. In 1948, Clark County
purchased the airfield from Crockett to establish the Clark County Public Airport, and all commercial operations moved to the site of this airport. On December 20, 1948 the airport was renamed McCarran Field for U.S. Senator Pat McCarran
, a longtime Nevada
politician who authored the Civil Aeronautics Act and played a major role in developing aviation
nationwide.
By this time, the airport was serving 1.5 million passengers a year, the location for the present terminals was moved from Las Vegas Boulevard South to Paradise Road, opening in March 1963. The terminal, designed by Welton Becket and Associates and John Replogle, was inspired by the TWA terminal
at JFK
. It ultimately became the basis for the United Airlines
terminal at O'Hare International Airport
seven years later.
In 1978, Senator Howard Cannon
pushed the Airline Deregulation Act
through Congress. Airlines no longer had to get the federal government's permission to fly to a city, but instead dealt directly with airports to establish additional routes. Just after deregulation, the number of airlines serving McCarran doubled from seven to 14.
An expansion plan called McCarran 2000 was adopted in 1978 and funded by a $300 million bond issue in 1982. The three-phase plan included a new central terminal; a nine-level parking
facility; runway additions and expansions; additional gates; upgraded passenger assistance facilities; and a new tunnel and revamped roadways into the airport. The first phase of McCarran 2000 opened in 1985 and was completed by 1987.
Between 1986 and 1997, Terminal 2 was built where two separate terminals had been in the 1970s and 1980s; one for American Airlines
and the other for Pacific Southwest Airlines
.
In the 1990s all gates and check in counters were upgraded to use a common set of computer hardware. CUTE, Common Use Terminal Equipment. This eliminates the need for each airline to have their own equipment and allows the airport to reassign gates and counters without having to address individual airlines' computer systems. While portions of Los Angeles International Airport and San Francisco International Airport deployed CUTE prior to McCarran, as of 2008 it remains the only major airport in the USA that is 100 percent common use. (White Plains, N.Y., is also a 100 percent common use airport, though it has only eight gates.) McCarran's CUTE system also supports several airlines' use of the Cockpit Access Security System, or CASS. In Europe, and to some extent the Asia-Pacific rim, CUTE has been widely prevalent for much longer.
In 1998, the D Gates SE and SW wings opened adding 28 gates. The D Gates project is a modification to the original McCarran 2000 plan.
On October 16, 2003, the airport installed SpeedCheck kiosk
s which allow customers to obtain a boarding pass
without having to go to a specific airline kiosk or counter. McCarran was the first airport in the US to provide this service and the first in the world to provide the service to all airlines from a single kiosk. At the same time, 6 kiosks were activated at the Las Vegas Convention Center
allowing convention attendees to get boarding passes on their way to the airport. This system was enhanced to add printing of baggage tags in 2005.
In 2003 the airport announced it was implementing a baggage-tracking system that will use Radio-frequency identification (RFID) bag tags from Matrics Inc. to improve air safety. The decision to implement the tracking system makes McCarran one of the first airports to use the RFID technology airportwide.
On January 4, 2005, the airport started offering wireless internet
service at no charge. The signal is available in the boarding areas and most other public areas. While not the first airport to offer free WiFi throughout the entire facility, the airport was perhaps the first major airport with free WiFi throughout. At the time, this was the largest (2 million square feet (180,000 m²)) free wireless Internet installation in the world.
In 2005, the D Gates NE wing opened adding 10 gates.
On April 4, 2007, the consolidated rental car facility
opened, located 3 miles (5 km) from the terminals (see Transportation section). The distance from the airport (including a segment of US Interstate 215) requires the facility be permanently linked via bus to the airport.
In 2008, the D Gates NW wing opened with additional 9 gates.
Due to Continental Airlines
moving into the Star Alliance
, along with cost-cutting moves at US Airways
because of the 2008 night-flight hub closure, the US Airways Club was closed on September 13, 2009. All passengers flying on US Airways or United Airlines can access the Presidents Club in Concourse D starting on October 25. Delta Airlines' Crown Room lounge had previously closed in 2001.
The US Airways
night-flight hub operation, established in 1986 by predecessor America West Airlines
, made the carrier McCarran's second busiest airline. Due to the 2008 energy crisis the night hub was closed in September 2008. US Airways
closed its crew base on January 31, 2010. On August 31, 2011, US Airways
announced that it will keep shrinking its operations by cutting 40% of its flights out of Las Vegas. The airline eliminated nonstop service to Boston, Dallas/Fort Worth, Fresno, Los Angeles, and San Francisco on November 29, 2011 leaving the airline with only flights from Las Vegas to its hubs in Charlotte, Philadelphia, Phoenix, and its focus city at Washington Reagan National Airport.
McCarran International Airport has two public passenger terminals
. Other terminals service private aircraft, US government contractors, sightseeing flights and cargo.
operations for:
In 2004, McCarran handled 201,135,520 pounds of cargo.
Aviacsa
had an office on the airport property.
(State Route 593) to the north or the Las Vegas Beltway (Interstate 215) to the south. Vehicles enter the airport via the McCarran Airport Connector
, which includes Paradise Road/Swenson Street and the airport tunnel.
The airport is served by taxicabs operated by various firms. The airport is further served by RTC Transit, the public bus service of the Las Vegas valley. RTC buses stop at Terminal 1 outside the Zero Level.
The Consolidated Rental Car Facility, located 3 miles (4.8 km) from the airport at 7135 Gilespie Street, provides 5,000 parking spaces on 68 acres (275,186.5 m²) of land. A fleet of 40 buses provides free transportation from the terminals to the facility, which upon opening housed 11 car rental companies. The Facility is not accessible by foot from the Strip. It is accessed by customers primarily via US Interstate 215, or by bus. Rental firms strongly advise customers to allow additional time to account for locating and driving to the facility, and the bus ride back to the airport. Advantage
, Savmore, Payless
, and Enterprise
use an access control system based on single-use bar codes. Participating agencies issue a slip similar to a slot-machine voucher which activates vehicle anti-theft devices in the rental lot, permitting the single vehicle to exit the lot.
Terminal 3 will be the future home of all foreign flag carriers, Alaska Airlines
, Frontier Airlines
, JetBlue Airways
, Sun Country Airlines
, and Virgin America
. Hawaiian Airlines
and United Airlines
will have ticketing and baggage claim facilities at Terminal 3, but will continue to operate in Concourse D. http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/284770_10150251606981865_216230766864_7472753_2093057_n.jpg In addition, it is speculated that the other airlines operating in Concourse D will have their ticketing facilities split between Terminal 1 and Terminal 3.
to McCarran is under consideration. This proposed extension will add underground stations at Terminal 1 and at Terminal 3. The part of the extension north of the airport will be elevated. This expansion is opposed by taxi and limousine services who garner significant revenues shuttling the public to and from the airport.
Museum, who has frequently appeared as an appraisal expert on the reality television
series, Pawn Stars
.
On July 12, 2008, Continental Airlines added a Presidents Club in Terminal 1, Concourse D located between gates 33 and 35 on the 3rd floor. This club is open from 5:30 AM to 12:30 AM daily. All US Airways Club, in addition to United Airlines Red Carpet Club members can use the Presidents Club in Concourse D.
A USO
lounge for American service members was opened on November 11, 2010 in Terminal 1.
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
and Clark County, Nevada
Clark County, Nevada
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 1,375,765 people, 512,253 households, and 339,693 families residing within the MSA. The racial makeup of the MSA was 71.6% White , 9.1% Black, 5.7% Asian, 0.8% American Indian and 12.8% of other or mixed race. 22.0% were Hispanic of any race...
, United States. The airport is located five miles (8 km) south of the central business district
Downtown Las Vegas
Downtown Las Vegas is the central business district of Las Vegas, Nevada. It is the original gambling district of Las Vegas, prior to the Strip, and the area still incorporates downtown gaming.-Tourism:...
of Las Vegas, in the unincorporated area
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
of Paradise
Paradise, Nevada
Paradise is an unincorporated town in the Las Vegas metropolitan area in Clark County, Nevada, United States. The population was 223,167 at the 2010 census...
in Clark County. It covers an area of 2800 acre (1,133.1 ha) and has four runway
Runway
According to ICAO a runway is a "defined rectangular area on a land aerodrome prepared for the landing and take-off of aircraft." Runways may be a man-made surface or a natural surface .- Orientation and dimensions :Runways are named by a number between 01 and 36, which is generally one tenth...
s. McCarran is owned by Clark County and operated by the Clark County Department of Aviation
Clark County Department of Aviation
Clark County Department of Aviation is a part of the Clark County, Nevada government. McCarran and the five general aviation facilities in the Clark County Airport System are owned by Clark County, Nevada and operated under the policy direction of the Board of County Commissioners, the authority...
(DOA). McCarran Airport serves as a hub
Airline hub
An airline hub is an airport that an airline uses as a transfer point to get passengers to their intended destination. It is part of a hub and spoke model, where travelers moving between airports not served by direct flights change planes en route to their destinations...
for Great Lakes Airlines
Great Lakes Airlines
Great Lakes Airlines , is an American regional airline operating domestic scheduled and charter services. Corporate headquarters are located in Cheyenne, Wyoming, with hubs at Denver International Airport, Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, Los Angeles International Airport, McCarran...
. It serves as a focus city
Focus city
In the airline industry, a focus city is a location that is not a hub, but from which the airline has non-stop flights to several destinations other than its hubs...
for Allegiant Air
Allegiant Air
Allegiant Air is an American low-cost airline owned by Allegiant Travel Co. that operates scheduled and charter flights. Allegiant Travel Company is a publicly traded company with 1,300 employees and one billion USD market capitalization...
and Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines Co. is an American low-cost airline based in Dallas, Texas. Southwest is the largest airline in the United States, based upon domestic passengers carried,...
; McCarran is also the largest operation base for both Allegiant and Southwest. It is named after the former Nevada Senator Pat McCarran
Pat McCarran
Patrick Anthony McCarran was a Democratic United States Senator from Nevada from 1933 until 1954, and was noted for his strong anti-Communist stance.-Early life and career:...
.
In 2010, McCarran ranked 22nd in the world for passenger traffic
World's busiest airports by passenger traffic
The world's busiest airports by passenger traffic are measured by number of total passengers . One passenger is described as someone who arrives in, departs from, or transfers through the airport on a given day...
, with 39,757,359 passengers passing through the terminal. The airport ranked 9th in the world for aircraft movements
World's busiest airports by traffic movements
The thirty world's busiest airports by aircraft movements are measured by total movements . One total movement is a landing or take off of an aircraft.- 2010 final statistics :-2009 final statistics:...
with 505,591 takeoffs and landings.
McCarran and the DOA are completely self-sufficient enterprises, requiring no money from the County's general fund.
As of November 2009, Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines Co. is an American low-cost airline based in Dallas, Texas. Southwest is the largest airline in the United States, based upon domestic passengers carried,...
operated more flights out of McCarran than at any other airport. Southwest also carries the most passengers in and out of McCarran. Southwest currently operates out of 21 gates, primarily in Concourse C. Since 2008, Canadian airline WestJet
WestJet
WestJet Airlines Ltd. is a Canadian low-cost carrier that provides scheduled and charter air service to 71 destinations in Canada, the United States, Mexico and the Caribbean. Founded in 1996, WestJet is currently the second largest Canadian air carrier, behind Air Canada, operating an average of...
has become the largest international carrier at McCarran.
The top five largest scheduled airlines at McCarran in number of passengers carried in the first 11 months of 2009 are Southwest Airlines (38.3%), US Airways/US Airways Express (11.8%), United Airlines/United Express (6.9%), Delta Air Lines/Delta Connection (5.6%), and American Airlines (5.5%).
McCarran Airport has more than 1,234 slot machines throughout the airport terminals. The slots are owned and operated by Michael Gaughan Airport Slots. Reno/Tahoe International Airport
Reno/Tahoe International Airport
Reno-Tahoe International Airport is a joint civil-military public airport located three nautical miles southeast of the central business district of Reno, a city in Washoe County, Nevada, United States...
also has 251 gambling machines both airside and landside.
Maximum capacity for the airport is estimated at 53 million passengers and 625,000 aircraft movements. As McCarran is predicted to reach this capacity around 2017, Ivanpah Airport is planned as a relief airport
Relief airport
Relief airport is used to describe any airport that is built or designated to provide relief or additional capacity to an area when the primary commercial airport reach capacity. In some cases a relief airport is an existing one that is designated to handle a specific class of aircraft such as...
.
History
Davy Crockett
David "Davy" Crockett was a celebrated 19th century American folk hero, frontiersman, soldier and politician. He is commonly referred to in popular culture by the epithet "King of the Wild Frontier". He represented Tennessee in the U.S...
, established Alamo Airport in 1942 on the site currently occupied by McCarran International. In 1948, Clark County
Clark County, Nevada
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 1,375,765 people, 512,253 households, and 339,693 families residing within the MSA. The racial makeup of the MSA was 71.6% White , 9.1% Black, 5.7% Asian, 0.8% American Indian and 12.8% of other or mixed race. 22.0% were Hispanic of any race...
purchased the airfield from Crockett to establish the Clark County Public Airport, and all commercial operations moved to the site of this airport. On December 20, 1948 the airport was renamed McCarran Field for U.S. Senator Pat McCarran
Pat McCarran
Patrick Anthony McCarran was a Democratic United States Senator from Nevada from 1933 until 1954, and was noted for his strong anti-Communist stance.-Early life and career:...
, a longtime Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
politician who authored the Civil Aeronautics Act and played a major role in developing aviation
Aviation
Aviation is the design, development, production, operation, and use of aircraft, especially heavier-than-air aircraft. Aviation is derived from avis, the Latin word for bird.-History:...
nationwide.
By this time, the airport was serving 1.5 million passengers a year, the location for the present terminals was moved from Las Vegas Boulevard South to Paradise Road, opening in March 1963. The terminal, designed by Welton Becket and Associates and John Replogle, was inspired by the TWA terminal
TWA Flight Center
The TWA Flight Center or Trans World Flight Center, opened in 1962 as a standalone terminal at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport .for Trans World Airlines...
at JFK
John F. Kennedy International Airport
John F. Kennedy International Airport is an international airport located in the borough of Queens in New York City, about southeast of Lower Manhattan. It is the busiest international air passenger gateway to the United States, handling more international traffic than any other airport in North...
. It ultimately became the basis for the United Airlines
United Airlines
United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees (which includes the entire holding company United Continental...
terminal at O'Hare International Airport
O'Hare International Airport
Chicago O'Hare International Airport , also known as O'Hare Airport, O'Hare Field, Chicago Airport, Chicago International Airport, or simply O'Hare, is a major airport located in the northwestern-most corner of Chicago, Illinois, United States, northwest of the Chicago Loop...
seven years later.
In 1978, Senator Howard Cannon
Howard Cannon
Howard Walter Cannon was an American politician. He served as a United States Senator from Nevada from 1959 until 1983 as a member of the Democratic Party.-Early life:...
pushed the Airline Deregulation Act
Airline Deregulation Act
The Airline Deregulation Act is a United States federal law signed into law on October 24, 1978. The main purpose of the act was to remove government control over fares, routes and market entry from commercial aviation...
through Congress. Airlines no longer had to get the federal government's permission to fly to a city, but instead dealt directly with airports to establish additional routes. Just after deregulation, the number of airlines serving McCarran doubled from seven to 14.
An expansion plan called McCarran 2000 was adopted in 1978 and funded by a $300 million bond issue in 1982. The three-phase plan included a new central terminal; a nine-level parking
Parking
Parking is the act of stopping a vehicle and leaving it unoccupied for more than a brief time. Parking on one or both sides of a road is commonly permitted, though often with restrictions...
facility; runway additions and expansions; additional gates; upgraded passenger assistance facilities; and a new tunnel and revamped roadways into the airport. The first phase of McCarran 2000 opened in 1985 and was completed by 1987.
American Airlines
American Airlines, Inc. is the world's fourth-largest airline in passenger miles transported and operating revenues. American Airlines is a subsidiary of the AMR Corporation and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas adjacent to its largest hub at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport...
and the other for Pacific Southwest Airlines
Pacific Southwest Airlines
Pacific Southwest Airlines was a United States airline headquartered in San Diego, California, that operated from 1949 to 1988. It was one of the first large discount airlines in the United States and is considered a precursor to Southwest Airlines...
.
In the 1990s all gates and check in counters were upgraded to use a common set of computer hardware. CUTE, Common Use Terminal Equipment. This eliminates the need for each airline to have their own equipment and allows the airport to reassign gates and counters without having to address individual airlines' computer systems. While portions of Los Angeles International Airport and San Francisco International Airport deployed CUTE prior to McCarran, as of 2008 it remains the only major airport in the USA that is 100 percent common use. (White Plains, N.Y., is also a 100 percent common use airport, though it has only eight gates.) McCarran's CUTE system also supports several airlines' use of the Cockpit Access Security System, or CASS. In Europe, and to some extent the Asia-Pacific rim, CUTE has been widely prevalent for much longer.
In 1998, the D Gates SE and SW wings opened adding 28 gates. The D Gates project is a modification to the original McCarran 2000 plan.
On October 16, 2003, the airport installed SpeedCheck kiosk
Kiosk
Kiosk is a small, separated garden pavilion open on some or all sides. Kiosks were common in Persia, India, Pakistan, and in the Ottoman Empire from the 13th century onward...
s which allow customers to obtain a boarding pass
Boarding pass
A boarding pass is a document provided by an airline during check-in, giving a passenger permission to board the airplane for a particular flight. As a minimum, it identifies the passenger, the flight number, and the date and scheduled time for departure...
without having to go to a specific airline kiosk or counter. McCarran was the first airport in the US to provide this service and the first in the world to provide the service to all airlines from a single kiosk. At the same time, 6 kiosks were activated at the Las Vegas Convention Center
Las Vegas Convention Center
The Las Vegas Convention Center is owned and operated by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority in Las Vegas, Nevada....
allowing convention attendees to get boarding passes on their way to the airport. This system was enhanced to add printing of baggage tags in 2005.
On January 4, 2005, the airport started offering wireless internet
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi or Wifi, is a mechanism for wirelessly connecting electronic devices. A device enabled with Wi-Fi, such as a personal computer, video game console, smartphone, or digital audio player, can connect to the Internet via a wireless network access point. An access point has a range of about 20...
service at no charge. The signal is available in the boarding areas and most other public areas. While not the first airport to offer free WiFi throughout the entire facility, the airport was perhaps the first major airport with free WiFi throughout. At the time, this was the largest (2 million square feet (180,000 m²)) free wireless Internet installation in the world.
In 2005, the D Gates NE wing opened adding 10 gates.
On April 4, 2007, the consolidated rental car facility
Consolidated rental car facility
A consolidated rental car facility is a complex that hosts numerous rental car agencies. They are often found at American airports.- History :A CRCF exists at Newark Liberty International Airport, Dallas-Ft...
opened, located 3 miles (5 km) from the terminals (see Transportation section). The distance from the airport (including a segment of US Interstate 215) requires the facility be permanently linked via bus to the airport.
In 2008, the D Gates NW wing opened with additional 9 gates.
Due to Continental Airlines
Continental Airlines
Continental Airlines was a major American airline now merged with United Airlines. On May 3, 2010, Continental Airlines, Inc. and UAL, Inc. announced a merger via a stock swap, and on October 1, 2010, the merger closed and UAL changed its name to United Continental Holdings, Inc...
moving into the Star Alliance
Star Alliance
Star Alliance is the world's first and largest airline alliance, headquartered in Frankfurt am Main, Germany . The alliance was founded in 1997 by five of the world's leading airlines: Air Canada, Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airlines, Thai Airways International and United Airlines...
, along with cost-cutting moves at US Airways
US Airways
US Airways, Inc. is a major airline based in the U.S. city of Tempe, Arizona. The airline is an operating unit of US Airways Group and is the sixth largest airline by traffic and eighth largest by market value in the country....
because of the 2008 night-flight hub closure, the US Airways Club was closed on September 13, 2009. All passengers flying on US Airways or United Airlines can access the Presidents Club in Concourse D starting on October 25. Delta Airlines' Crown Room lounge had previously closed in 2001.
The US Airways
US Airways
US Airways, Inc. is a major airline based in the U.S. city of Tempe, Arizona. The airline is an operating unit of US Airways Group and is the sixth largest airline by traffic and eighth largest by market value in the country....
night-flight hub operation, established in 1986 by predecessor America West Airlines
America West Airlines
America West Airlines corporate offices were in Tempe, Arizona and the main hub was at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. The airline became part of the US Airways Group after a merger in 2005....
, made the carrier McCarran's second busiest airline. Due to the 2008 energy crisis the night hub was closed in September 2008. US Airways
US Airways
US Airways, Inc. is a major airline based in the U.S. city of Tempe, Arizona. The airline is an operating unit of US Airways Group and is the sixth largest airline by traffic and eighth largest by market value in the country....
closed its crew base on January 31, 2010. On August 31, 2011, US Airways
US Airways
US Airways, Inc. is a major airline based in the U.S. city of Tempe, Arizona. The airline is an operating unit of US Airways Group and is the sixth largest airline by traffic and eighth largest by market value in the country....
announced that it will keep shrinking its operations by cutting 40% of its flights out of Las Vegas. The airline eliminated nonstop service to Boston, Dallas/Fort Worth, Fresno, Los Angeles, and San Francisco on November 29, 2011 leaving the airline with only flights from Las Vegas to its hubs in Charlotte, Philadelphia, Phoenix, and its focus city at Washington Reagan National Airport.
Terminals, airlines and destinations
Airport terminal
An airport terminal is a building at an airport where passengers transfer between ground transportation and the facilities that allow them to board and disembark from aircraft....
. Other terminals service private aircraft, US government contractors, sightseeing flights and cargo.
- Terminal 1 handles most flights and contains an overall 96 gates in four concourses: Concourse A (A1, A3-A5, A7, A8, A10-A12, A14, A15, A17-A24), Concourse B (gates B1-B4, B6, B8-B12, B14, B15, B17, B19-B25), Concourse C (gates C1-C4, C5, C7-C9, C11, C12, C14, C16, C18, C19, C21-C25), and Concourse D (gates D1-D12, D14, D16-D26, D31-D43, D50-D58). The McCarran International Airport People MoversMcCarran International Airport People MoversThe McCarran International Airport People Movers are two separate automatic people mover systems operating at McCarran International Airport near Las Vegas, Nevada. The people mover system consists of two separate lines, one connecting the Main Terminal to the C Gate Concourse, and the other...
connect the satellite concourses C and D with the centralized check-in and baggage claimBaggage claimIn airport terminals, a baggage claim area is an area where arriving passengers claim checked-in baggage after disembarking from an airline flight. The alternative term baggage reclaim is used to mean the same thing at many airports outside the USA In airport terminals, a baggage claim area is an...
areas. - Terminal 2 is used for all international as well as most charter flights into Las Vegas. It contains eight gates (T2-1 through T2-8), four of which are equipped with facilities for international flights. Upon completion of Terminal 3, Terminal 2 will close permanently and all international flights will move to Terminal 3.
- Terminal 3, opening in 2012, will be used for all international flights as well as scheduled airlines. The terminal will contain fourteen gates (E1-E12, E14-15), with the easternmost six gates being used for international flights. A people mover system will connect Terminal 3 to Concourse D.
Top Destinations
| Rank | City | Passengers | Top Carriers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Angeles, California Los Angeles International Airport Los Angeles International Airport is the primary airport serving the Greater Los Angeles Area, the second-most populated metropolitan area in the United States. It is most often referred to by its IATA airport code LAX, with the letters pronounced individually... |
1,022,000 | American, Delta, Southwest, Spirit, United, US Airways |
| 2 | San Francisco, California San Francisco International Airport San Francisco International Airport is a major international airport located south of downtown San Francisco, California, United States, near the cities of Millbrae and San Bruno in unincorporated San Mateo County. It is often referred to as SFO... |
880,000 | Continental, Southwest, United, US Airways, Virgin America |
| 3 | Denver, Colorado Denver International Airport Denver International Airport , often referred to as DIA, is an airport in Denver, Colorado. By land size, at , it is the largest international airport in the United States, and the third largest international airport in the world after King Fahd International Airport and Montréal-Mirabel... |
862,000 | Continental, Frontier, Southwest, United |
| 4 | Phoenix, Arizona Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is a joint civil-military public airport located southeast of the central business district of the city of Phoenix, in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States... |
756,000 | Southwest, US Airways |
| 5 | Atlanta, Georgia Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport , known locally as Atlanta Airport, Hartsfield Airport, and Hartsfield–Jackson, is located seven miles south of the central business district of Atlanta, Georgia, United States... |
728,000 | AirTran, Delta |
| 6 | Chicago (O'Hare), Illinois | 612,000 | American, Spirit, United |
| 7 | Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas | 597,000 | American, Spirit, US Airways |
| 8 | Seattle, Washington Seattle-Tacoma International Airport The Seattle–Tacoma International Airport , also known as Sea–Tac Airport or Sea–Tac , is an American airport located in SeaTac, Washington, at the intersections of State Routes 99 and 509 and 518, about west of Interstate 5... |
550,000 | Alaska, Southwest |
| 9 | New York (JFK), New York John F. Kennedy International Airport John F. Kennedy International Airport is an international airport located in the borough of Queens in New York City, about southeast of Lower Manhattan. It is the busiest international air passenger gateway to the United States, handling more international traffic than any other airport in North... |
545,000 | American, Delta, JetBlue, Virgin America |
| 10 | Salt Lake City, Utah Salt Lake City International Airport Salt Lake City International Airport is a major public airport in Utah. A joint civil-military facility, it is located in western Salt Lake City, approximately four miles from the central business district... |
491,000 | Delta, Southwest |
Top International Carriers
| Rank | Airline | Passengers (2010) | Destinations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | WestJet WestJet WestJet Airlines Ltd. is a Canadian low-cost carrier that provides scheduled and charter air service to 71 destinations in Canada, the United States, Mexico and the Caribbean. Founded in 1996, WestJet is currently the second largest Canadian air carrier, behind Air Canada, operating an average of... |
798,435 | Calgary, Edmonton, Montréal-Trudeau, Toronto-Pearson, Vancouver, Winnipeg Seasonal: Hamilton, Kelowna, London (ON), Ottawa, Prince George, Regina, Saskatoon, Victoria |
| 2 | Air Canada Air Canada Air Canada is the flag carrier and largest airline of Canada. The airline, founded in 1936, provides scheduled and charter air transport for passengers and cargo to 178 destinations worldwide. It is the world's tenth largest passenger airline by number of destinations, and the airline is a... |
423,029 | Calgary, Montréal-Trudeau, Toronto-Pearson, Vancouver |
| 3 | Virgin Atlantic Airways Virgin Atlantic Airways Virgin Atlantic Airways Limited is a British airline owned by Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Group and Singapore Airlines... |
275,533 | London-Gatwick, Manchester (UK) |
| 4 | British Airways British Airways British Airways is the flag carrier airline of the United Kingdom, based in Waterside, near its main hub at London Heathrow Airport. British Airways is the largest airline in the UK based on fleet size, international flights and international destinations... |
176,098 | London-Heathrow |
| 5 | Mexicana Mexicana de Aviación Founded in 1921, Compañía Mexicana de Aviación, S.A. de C.V. was Mexico's oldest airline, before ceasing operations on August 28, 2010. The group's closure was announced by the company's recently installed management team a short time after the group filed for Concurso Mercantil and US Chapter 15... |
133,696 | No longer operating |
| 6 | Aeromexico Aeroméxico Airways of Mexico, SA de CV , operating as Aeroméxico, is the flag carrier airline of Mexico based in Colonia Cuauhtémoc, Cuauhtémoc, Mexico City. It operates scheduled domestic and international services to North America, South America, Central America and the Caribbean, Europe, and Asia... |
126,558 | Guadalajara, Mexico City, Monterrey |
| 7 | Philippine Airlines Philippine Airlines Philippine Airlines, Inc. operating as Philippine Airlines, is a flag carrier of the Philippines. Headquartered in the Philippine National Bank Financial Center in Pasay City, the airline was founded in 1941 and is the first and oldest commercial airline in Asia operating under its original name... |
70,389 | Manila, Vancouver |
| 8 | Korean Airlines | 55,140 | Seoul-Incheon |
| 9 | Condor Condor Condor is the name for two species of New World vultures, each in a monotypic genus. They are the largest flying land birds in the Western Hemisphere.They are:* The Andean Condor which inhabits the Andean mountains.... |
52,505 | Frankfurt |
| 10 | Sunwing Airlines Sunwing Airlines Sunwing Airlines Inc. is an airline headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, offering scheduled and chartered services to Canada, the United States, Mexico, the Caribbean, Europe, Central America, South America as well as domestic services during the summer season.It is a subsidiary of Sunwing... |
51,516 | Toronto-Pearson, Vancouver |
Cargo
At McCarran, there is a terminal devoted to cargo airlineCargo airline
Cargo airlines are airlines dedicated to the transport of cargo. Some cargo airlines are divisions or subsidiaries of larger passenger airlines.-Logistics:...
operations for:
In 2004, McCarran handled 201,135,520 pounds of cargo.
Other terminal operations
- Fixed Base OperatorsFixed base operatorA Fixed-base operator or commonly abbreviated FBO is a term developed in the United States after the passage of the Air Commerce Act of 1926...
- Signature Flight Support, owned by BBA Aviation Services Group, provides services for private aircraft using McCarran. It also provides equipment and support to other airlines for aircraft types that do not normally fly into McCarran.
- The Las Vegas Executive Air Terminal, owned by Eagle Aviation Resources, is being purchased by Macquarie Infrastructure CompanyMacquarie Infrastructure CompanyMacquarie Infrastructure Company Trust is a New York based company that provides fixed-base operations and also operates airports in the United States.-Divisions:*Atlantic*Macquarie Parking**PCA**Avistar**Sunpark*Also operates several energy facilities...
. It provides services for private aircraft using McCarran.
- HelicopterHelicopterA helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
Companies:- Heli USA Sightseeing
- The EG&GEG&GEG&G, formally known as Edgerton, Germeshausen, and Grier, Inc., is a United States national defense contractor and provider of management and technical services. The company was involved in contracting services to the United States government during World War II, and conducted weapons research and...
Airlift Terminal, operated by EG&G Technical Services. EG&G flies a variety of aircraft (including Boeing 737Boeing 737The Boeing 737 is a short- to medium-range, twin-engine narrow-body jet airliner. Originally developed as a shorter, lower-cost twin-engine airliner derived from Boeing's 707 and 727, the 737 has developed into a family of nine passenger models with a capacity of 85 to 215 passengers...
s) from McCarran to various U.S. Department of Energy facilities in southern Nevada. The contractors who use this service work at the DoE's Nevada Test SiteNevada Test SiteThe Nevada National Security Site , previously the Nevada Test Site , is a United States Department of Energy reservation located in southeastern Nye County, Nevada, about northwest of the city of Las Vegas...
and Tonopah Test RangeTonopah Test RangeTonopah Test Range , also known as Area 52, is a restricted military installation located about southeast of Tonopah, Nevada. It is part of the northern fringe of the Nellis Range, measuring . Tonopah Test Range is located about northwest of Groom Dry Lake, home of the Area 51 facility...
. - Hughes Aviation
- Quail Aviation
- Scenic Aviation Sightseeing
Aviacsa
Aviacsa
Consorcio Aviaxsa, S.A. de C.V., doing business as Aviacsa, is a low-cost airline of Mexico with its headquarters in Hangar 1 of Zone C on the property of Mexico City International Airport in Venustiano Carranza, Mexico City, Mexico...
had an office on the airport property.
Transportation
Ground transportation to McCarran Airport is from Tropicana AvenueTropicana Avenue
Tropicana Avenue is a major east–west section line arterial in the Las Vegas area. The road is named after the Tropicana Resort & Casino which is located on the Las Vegas Boulevard where it intersects with Tropicana Avenue. Part of it is signed as Nevada State Route 593.-Route description:SR...
(State Route 593) to the north or the Las Vegas Beltway (Interstate 215) to the south. Vehicles enter the airport via the McCarran Airport Connector
McCarran Airport Connector
The McCarran Airport Connector is a limited-access roadway system located in Paradise, an unincorporated town near Las Vegas in Clark County, Nevada, USA...
, which includes Paradise Road/Swenson Street and the airport tunnel.
The airport is served by taxicabs operated by various firms. The airport is further served by RTC Transit, the public bus service of the Las Vegas valley. RTC buses stop at Terminal 1 outside the Zero Level.
- Route #108 provides service to Downtown Las VegasDowntown Las VegasDowntown Las Vegas is the central business district of Las Vegas, Nevada. It is the original gambling district of Las Vegas, prior to the Strip, and the area still incorporates downtown gaming.-Tourism:...
& Bonnevile Transit Center. - Route #109 services the South Strip Transfer Terminal, the consolidated rental car facility, Downtown Las VegasDowntown Las VegasDowntown Las Vegas is the central business district of Las Vegas, Nevada. It is the original gambling district of Las Vegas, prior to the Strip, and the area still incorporates downtown gaming.-Tourism:...
, Bonnevile Transit Center, & Maryland Parkway. Route #109 operates 24 hours a day. - "Westcliff Airport Express" provides direct bus service to The Strip around MGM Grand, New York, New York, Tropicana, & Excalibur Hotels as well as Las Vegas Premium Outlets North, Bonnevile Transit Center, Downtown Las VegasDowntown Las VegasDowntown Las Vegas is the central business district of Las Vegas, Nevada. It is the original gambling district of Las Vegas, prior to the Strip, and the area still incorporates downtown gaming.-Tourism:...
, & Suncoast Hotel. - "Strip & Downtown Express" bus service along the Las Vegas StripLas Vegas StripThe Las Vegas Strip is an approximately stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard in Clark County, Nevada; adjacent to, but outside the city limits of Las Vegas proper. The Strip lies within the unincorporated townships of Paradise and Winchester...
connects with Route 109 (south) at the South Strip Transfer Terminal between the hours of 9:00am & 12:30am. "The Deuce on The Strip" service connects with Route 109 between the hours of 12:30am & 9:00am.
The Consolidated Rental Car Facility, located 3 miles (4.8 km) from the airport at 7135 Gilespie Street, provides 5,000 parking spaces on 68 acres (275,186.5 m²) of land. A fleet of 40 buses provides free transportation from the terminals to the facility, which upon opening housed 11 car rental companies. The Facility is not accessible by foot from the Strip. It is accessed by customers primarily via US Interstate 215, or by bus. Rental firms strongly advise customers to allow additional time to account for locating and driving to the facility, and the bus ride back to the airport. Advantage
Advantage Rent A Car
Advantage Rent a Car was a formerly-independent car rental company headquartered in San Antonio, Texas which at its peak operated more than 150 U.S. locations and 130 locations in 33 countries internationally...
, Savmore, Payless
Payless Car Rental
Payless Car Rental, Inc. is a car rental company headquartered in St. Petersburg, Florida. While mainly a franchise system, the company owns and operates several corporate locations...
, and Enterprise
Enterprise Rent-A-Car
Enterprise Holdings, Inc. is a privately held company formed in 2009 to operate rental car subsidiaries: Enterprise Rent-A-Car, National Car Rental, Alamo Rent A Car, WeCar and its commercial fleet management, used car sales, and commercial truck rental operations.Enterprise Holdings was formed as...
use an access control system based on single-use bar codes. Participating agencies issue a slip similar to a slot-machine voucher which activates vehicle anti-theft devices in the rental lot, permitting the single vehicle to exit the lot.
Terminal 3
The new $1.6 billion Terminal 3 will be built in one phase. Its planned opening in June 2012 will provide 14 additional gates, including six designated for international travelers. Once the terminal opens, McCarran will have 117 gates. Like Terminal 2, it will be all inclusive providing bag claim, ticketing and parking facilities. Upon completion of Terminal 3, Terminal 2 will close permanently.Terminal 3 will be the future home of all foreign flag carriers, Alaska Airlines
Alaska Airlines
Alaska Airlines is an airline based in the Seattle suburb of SeaTac, Washington in the United States. The airline originated in 1932 as McGee Airways. After many mergers with and acquisitions of other airlines, including Star Air Service, it became known as Alaska Airlines in 1944...
, Frontier Airlines
Frontier Airlines
Frontier Airlines, Inc., is an American airline headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. The carrier, which is a subsidiary and operating brand of Republic Airways Holdings, operates flights to 83 destinations throughout the United States, Mexico, and Costa Rica and maintains hubs at...
, JetBlue Airways
JetBlue Airways
JetBlue Airways Corporation is an American low-cost airline. The company is headquartered in the Forest Hills neighborhood of the New York City borough of Queens. Its main base is John F. Kennedy International Airport, also in Queens....
, Sun Country Airlines
Sun Country Airlines
MN Airlines, LLC, operating as Sun Country Airlines, is an American low-cost airline headquartered in the Minneapolis-St. Paul suburb of Mendota Heights, Minnesota...
, and Virgin America
Virgin America
Virgin America, Inc. is a United States-based low-cost airline that began service on August 8, 2007. The airline's stated aim is to provide low-fare, high-quality service for "long-haul point-to-point service between major metropolitan cities on the Eastern and West Coast seaboards." San Francisco...
. Hawaiian Airlines
Hawaiian Airlines
Hawaiian Airlines, Inc. is a major airline of the United States. It is the largest airline based in the State of Hawai'i, and is the 11th largest commercial airline in the country. Based in Honolulu CDP, City and County of Honolulu, the airline operates its main hub at Honolulu International...
and United Airlines
United Airlines
United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees (which includes the entire holding company United Continental...
will have ticketing and baggage claim facilities at Terminal 3, but will continue to operate in Concourse D. http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/284770_10150251606981865_216230766864_7472753_2093057_n.jpg In addition, it is speculated that the other airlines operating in Concourse D will have their ticketing facilities split between Terminal 1 and Terminal 3.
Las Vegas Monorail Connection
A plan to extend the Las Vegas MonorailLas Vegas Monorail
The Las Vegas Monorail is a monorail mass transit system located on the Las Vegas Strip, in Clark County, Nevada, United States. It connects the unincorporated communities of Paradise and Winchester, and does not actually enter the City of Las Vegas. It is owned and operated by the Las Vegas...
to McCarran is under consideration. This proposed extension will add underground stations at Terminal 1 and at Terminal 3. The part of the extension north of the airport will be elevated. This expansion is opposed by taxi and limousine services who garner significant revenues shuttling the public to and from the airport.
Other projects
- Aircraft apron reconstruction and Terminal 1 rehabilitation (ongoing)
- Runway Status LightsRunway Status LightsRunway Status Lights is a fully automatic advisory safety system as a part of an ongoing effort to explore new technologies to increase safety during airport ground operations.-Development:...
are being installed by the FAA on Runway 25R/7L with installation planned to be completed by March 2011.
Howard W. Cannon Aviation Museum
The Howard W. Cannon Aviation Museum is located on the Esplanade, Level 2, above the baggage claim area. This small museum is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and concentrates on Las Vegas airline history. Items on display include a copy of the first emergency vehicle that was used on the airfield. Admittance is free. A small branch of the museum is located at the D gates, and some of the other concourses and check-in areas also have small displays. The current curator of the museum is Mark Hall-Patton, a 20th century historian and administrator of the Clark CountyClark County, Nevada
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 1,375,765 people, 512,253 households, and 339,693 families residing within the MSA. The racial makeup of the MSA was 71.6% White , 9.1% Black, 5.7% Asian, 0.8% American Indian and 12.8% of other or mixed race. 22.0% were Hispanic of any race...
Museum, who has frequently appeared as an appraisal expert on the reality television
Reality television
Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...
series, Pawn Stars
Pawn Stars
Pawn Stars is an American reality television series on the History Channel, produced in Manhattan by Leftfield Pictures. The series is filmed in Las Vegas, Nevada, where it chronicles the daily activities at the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop, a 24-hour family business operated by patriarch Richard...
.
Airport public art
Some of the public art displays in McCarran Airport includes:- Murals in McCarran International Airport D Gates (artists include Tom Holder, Mary Warner, Robert Beckmann, Harold Bradford)
- Greg LeFevre's Flights Paths — in the D Gates rotunda's terrazzo floor
- Tony Milici's steel and glass sculpture at McCarran's D Gates
- McCarran's D Gates feature wall tiles of international skylines by sixteen Clark County fourth graders
- Wildlife sculptures of Clark County wildlife at the D Gates, by David L Phelps
Airline lounges
The airport operates a VIP lounge in Terminal 2 for full fare first class passengers.On July 12, 2008, Continental Airlines added a Presidents Club in Terminal 1, Concourse D located between gates 33 and 35 on the 3rd floor. This club is open from 5:30 AM to 12:30 AM daily. All US Airways Club, in addition to United Airlines Red Carpet Club members can use the Presidents Club in Concourse D.
A USO
United Service Organizations
The United Service Organizations Inc. is a private, nonprofit organization that provides morale and recreational services to members of the U.S. military, with programs in 160 centers worldwide. Since 1941, it has worked in partnership with the Department of Defense , and has provided support and...
lounge for American service members was opened on November 11, 2010 in Terminal 1.
Media appearances
- McCarran Airport was featured in Diamonds Are ForeverDiamonds Are Forever (film)Diamonds Are Forever is the seventh spy film in the Eon Productions James Bond series, and the sixth and final Eon Productions film to star Sean Connery as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. The film is based on Ian Fleming's 1956 novel of the same name, and is the second of four James Bond films...
as James BondJames BondJames Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
Sean ConnerySean ConnerySir Thomas Sean Connery , better known as Sean Connery, is a Scottish actor and producer who has won an Academy Award, two BAFTA Awards and three Golden Globes Sir Thomas Sean Connery (born 25 August 1930), better known as Sean Connery, is a Scottish actor and producer who has won an Academy...
lands there and walk out of the front of the terminal (1971)
- The mission "Secret Shuttle" supplied with Microsoft Flight Simulator XMicrosoft Flight Simulator XMicrosoft Flight Simulator X, also known as FSX, is the latest version of Microsoft Flight Simulator after Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004...
begins at McCarran International Airport.
- McCarran Airport was featured during the cataclysmic destruction of Las Vegas in the disaster film 20122012 (film)2012 is a 2009 American disaster film directed by Roland Emmerich. It stars John Cusack, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Amanda Peet, Oliver Platt, Thandie Newton, Danny Glover, and Woody Harrelson. It was produced by Emmerich's production company, Centropolis Entertainment and was distributed by Columbia Pictures...
.
- McCarran Airport was also featured in the 2001 Brett RatnerBrett RatnerBrett Ratner is an American film director, film producer and music video director. He is best known for directing the Rush Hour film series, The Family Man, Red Dragon, X-Men: The Last Stand, and Tower Heist. He was also a producer on the Fox drama series, Prison Break.- Early life :Ratner was...
film Rush Hour 2Rush Hour 2Rush Hour 2 is a 2001 martial arts action comedy film. This is the second installment in the Rush Hour film series. A sequel to the 1998 film Rush Hour, the film stars Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker who respectively reprise their roles as Inspector Lee and Los Angeles police detective James Carter...
where Secret Service Agent Isabella Molina (Roselyn Sánchez), Secret Service Agent Sterling (Harris Yulin), Chief Inspector Lee (Jackie Chan) and Detective James Carter (Chris Tucker) fly from McCarran Airport.
- McCarran Airport is featured in the 2010 video game Fallout: New VegasFallout: New VegasFallout: New Vegas is a first person action role-playing video game in the Fallout series developed by Obsidian Entertainment, and published by Bethesda Softworks. The game is based in a post-apocalyptic environment in and around Las Vegas, Nevada...
as a post-apocalyptic base of operations (Called "Camp McCarran") for the NCR (New California Republic)
- The 2004 video game Grand Theft Auto: San AndreasGrand Theft Auto: San AndreasGrand Theft Auto: San Andreas is a 2004 open world action video game developed by British games developer Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games. It is the third 3D game in the Grand Theft Auto video game franchise, the fifth original console release and eighth game overall...
features the airport as Las Venturas International Airport.
- McCarran Airport is the setting for the climactic scene in the 1988 film Midnight Run with Robert DeNiro and Charles Grodin, directed by Martin Brest.
External links
- McCarran International Airport, official web site
- History of McCarran airport, onlinenevada.org
- Flight and checkpoint delays, lasvegassun.com diagram from Nevada DOT