Key Takeaways
- Clark County’s aviation team laid out a phased, multibillion-dollar plan to modernize Harry Reid International Airport.
- Terminal 1 would grow from 39 gates to roughly 65, and the A and B gates would be rebuilt as one long pier.
- Taxi and rideshare staging is set to move, adding about 330 parking spaces at peak times.
- No price tag yet. The county expects to announce one next year and will seek federal money for much of the work.
What’s Happening
Clark County Aviation Director James Chrisley told the County Commission that a lot of Reid was designed for the passenger counts and planes of the 1990s and early 2000s. The fix is a long list of projects done in phases, so the airport stays open the whole time.
The biggest piece is Terminal 1. The plan takes it from 39 gates to about 65, including a new wing of roughly 11 gates near where the old Terminal 2 stood. The A and B gates, which now sit in separate “satellite” buildings, would be replaced by a straight pier, going from 23 gates to about 33. Terminal 3 would be renamed Terminal 2, and a new administration building and parking garage would follow.
Some changes are closer. The airport’s automated trams, which have run about 2 million miles in a decade, are due to be replaced by the end of this year. New escalators and elevators at Terminal 1 are meant to end the walk across a busy taxi lane between baggage claim and the garage. On the west side, the county wants a new Customs and Border Protection facility and a charter ramp for international private jets coming in for events like Formula 1. A new airport fire and rescue station would start construction next year and finish in 2028, and the A and C gates are slated for more restrooms and more food and drink spots.
An earlier county timeline, reported in June, pointed to a redeveloped Terminal 1 in late 2034 and warned the airport could hit its 65-million-passenger ceiling by 2033.
What It Means for Las Vegas
Reid is now the country’s eighth-busiest airport, and a second airport in the Ivanpah Valley is still at least a decade away. These upgrades are the bridge. For visitors, that means more gates and less crowding over time. For locals who drive for Uber, Lyft or a cab company, the staging move and the extra peak-hour spaces could change how pickups work at Terminal 1, so watch for new signs and app updates.
What to Watch Next
- The official cost estimate, expected next year.
- Whether the county lands federal grants; an aviation consultant told the Review-Journal Reid is well placed to compete for them.
- The new trams arriving by year’s end.
- Where rideshare and taxi staging ends up and when the move starts.
Sources
- Casino.org: Las Vegas Airport Plans Multibillion-Dollar Expansion
- Las Vegas Review-Journal: Las Vegas airport prepares for major overhaul
- Nevada Globe: Terminal 1 redevelopment plan (June 2026)
For informational purposes only; not financial, investment or legal advice.