The McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas, Nevada is the 8th busiest in the world in terms of takeoffs and landings. It is quite close (5 miles or 8 km) to downtown Las Vegas and even closer to the famed “Strip” of hotels and casinos along Las Vegas Boulevard, and is rapidly growing along with the Las Vegas metropolitan area. The airport was first built in 1926, then replaced in 1930 and named in 1948 for Senator Pat McCarran, author of the Civil Aviation Act that regulates American commercial and private aviation. It is also well-known for the availability of slot machines in the concourses, as gambling is legal in Nevada, and for a museum of flight-themed art located in the airport.
The airport is located on Tropicana Avenue (state route 593) and has an exit on the Las Vegas Beltway (I-215) that passes through a tunnel into the airport. The 16 taxicab companies in Las Vegas charge metered fares, with a $2.00 fee to leave the airport; it is shorter and cheaper to travel on city streets, and locals advise against letting the taxi driver take the considerably longer and more expensive route through the I-215 tunnel. You can also easily book online for Las Vegas airport transfers online for reliable transportation. State law requires that taxi drivers follow passenger’s directions as to route, and also that cabs be air-conditioned. Many downtown and Strip hotels have shuttle service to and from the airport, and commercial shuttle service costs around $12.00. The public bus system (RTC Transit) connects the airport with downtown, the Strip and the Las Vegas valley: routes 108 and 109 and the Centennial and Westcliff Express lines stop outside the airport (level 0), and Strip and Downtown Express buses go to the South Strip Transfer Terminal, at which airport passengers change to the 109 bus. Bus fares are generally $2.00