Harry Reid
International Airport
Las Vegas, formerly McCarran. Four runways and no shortage of pavement, so the aircraft is never the problem here. Ramp parking is, and around a major convention it is the whole conversation.
Reviewed by Kevin Singh, Founder · Fact-checked against Icarus Jet fleet and airport operations data · Last updated 2 September 2026
The Airport
Harry Reid International at a glance
Las Vegas carries the ICAO code KLAS and the identifier LAS. It sits about five miles from downtown Las Vegas, is owned and operated by Clark County, and is one of the busiest airports in the United States for both scheduled and private traffic.
The name changed. The airport was McCarran International for decades and is now Harry Reid International. The codes did not change, and a great deal of published material still says McCarran, so you will see both.
The Constraint
Parking, not runway
Almost every other airport in this library has an aircraft constraint. Las Vegas does not. Four runways, the longest at 14,835 feet, ILS to three ends, Part 139 Class I Index E fire cover. Whatever you are flying, it fits.
What is scarce is ramp. The FAA states plainly on the airport record that general aviation parking is very limited and directs operators to contact an FBO for availability. Las Vegas runs on conventions, fights and fixtures, and when the city fills up the ramp fills up with it.
The special event parking programme. When the programme NOTAM is active, transient aircraft not permanently based at the field must obtain a PPR number from an FBO for each landing, and that confirmation number goes in the flight plan. Around the major events this is in force. Arriving without a number is not something that gets sorted out on frequency.
With only two FBOs on the field, parking is a conversation with one of two operators, and it needs having early. For a short turn a drop and go can work, with the aircraft repositioning to park elsewhere and returning for the pickup, but that has to be planned into the crew duty rather than improvised.
Runways
Four runways, and a night restriction on two of them
All four are concrete and grooved. 08L/26R at 14,835 feet by 150 feet, 08R/26L at 10,526 feet, 01L/19R at 9,770 feet and 01R/19L at 9,769 feet, all 150 feet wide. Runway 08L carries a 589 foot clearway and runway 26R has 645 feet.
Turbojet departures are not permitted on 01R/19L or 01L/19R between 2000 and 0800, with exceptions for weather or operational necessity. That pushes night departures onto the east-west pair. It seldom stops a departure outright, but on a busy night it lengthens the taxi and it belongs in the timing.
Displaced thresholds. The FAA records approach ratios to displaced thresholds on runways 01L, 01R, 08L, 19L and 19R. With runways this long the practical effect is usually small, but the declared distances rather than the pavement figures are what go into the performance calculation.
Density altitude. The field sits at 2,183 feet and Las Vegas summer afternoons push density altitude a long way above that. On a hot day out of here the performance numbers are a genuine calculation, which is part of why the long runway earns its keep.
ILS/DME serves runways 26R, 26L and 01L. Other prior permission items: all non-standard runway operations need approval from the Department of Aviation, and wingspans over 135 feet need Department of Aviation approval to use taxiway H.
Customs
Twelve hours, booked online
General aviation customs reservations at Las Vegas require 12 hours of prior notice, and the booking is made through the CBP website rather than by calling on the day.
The GA customs and immigration facility is on the west side of the field, sited between the two FBOs, which makes the ground handling straightforward once you are on the ramp. It does nothing to shorten the booking window, and a twelve hour lead time on an international arrival is a planning item, not a day-of one.
On the field
FBOs, fuel and hazards
Two FBOs operate at Harry Reid: Atlantic Aviation and Signature Aviation. Both sell Jet A, Jet A1+ and 100LL, with sustainable aviation fuel available at Signature. Handling is not mandatory in the regulatory sense, though with two operators and constrained parking the relationship matters more here than the regulation does. Two operators on a field this busy means noticeably less pricing competition than a five-FBO field such as Miami-Opa Locka.
Three hazards from the FAA record worth carrying into the brief. Large numbers of birds and bats operate in the vicinity between sunset and sunrise. Extensive glider and soaring activity runs at weekends and on holidays, sunrise to sunset, in the southwest quadrant. And aircraft may experience sun reflection from the glass hotels northwest of the airport, at varying altitudes, headings and distances.
Fire cover is FAR Part 139 Class I with Index E equipment, the highest routine category, which is what you would expect at an airport of this size.
History
From wartime field to one of the busiest in the country
The airport opened in 1942 and airline operations began later that decade. It was named for Senator Pat McCarran, the Nevada politician closely associated with early federal aviation legislation, and carried his name for the better part of eighty years.
It was renamed Harry Reid International after the late Nevada senator. The change was to the name only: LAS and KLAS are unchanged, and the airport remains owned and operated by Clark County.
What made Las Vegas one of the busiest business aviation destinations in the United States is not the airport but the city. Conventions, fixtures and events generate concentrated, tightly timed private traffic, and the airport has spent its modern history absorbing surges rather than a steady load. That is exactly why parking, and not runway, is the thing that constrains a trip here.
Nearby
Harry Reid and the alternatives
For most Las Vegas trips Harry Reid is the answer. It is closest to the Strip and the convention centres, it has the runways, and it has the customs facility. The question only arises when the city is full.
Major convention or fixture, ramp at capacity. This is when the smaller Las Vegas area fields start to price well, particularly for a longer stay where the aircraft would have had to reposition anyway.
Short turn, no overnight. A drop and go at Harry Reid usually beats repositioning, provided it is planned into the crew duty in advance.
International arrival. Harry Reid, because of the customs facility, with the twelve hour booking made well ahead.
We are building out the rest of the Nevada guides. Until they are published, the comparison above is the short version we use when a Las Vegas plan needs rethinking.
Airport guides & index
Questions
Las Vegas, answered
Is Las Vegas airport still called McCarran?
No. The airport was renamed Harry Reid International Airport, and that is the name the FAA now carries. The codes are unchanged: LAS and KLAS. A great many charter listings, older guides and even some operator systems still say McCarran, so expect to see both, but the current name is Harry Reid International.
Can private jets land at Harry Reid International?
Yes, and a very large number do. Las Vegas is one of the busiest business aviation destinations in the United States. Four runways, the longest at 14,835 feet, an ILS to three runway ends and Part 139 Class I Index E fire cover mean the aircraft is never the constraint. Parking is.
What is the turbojet curfew at Las Vegas?
Turbojet departures are not permitted on runway 01R/19L or runway 01L/19R between 2000 and 0800, with exceptions for weather or operational necessity. In practice that funnels night departures onto 08L/26R and 08R/26L. It rarely stops a departure but it does change the taxi routing and can add time on a busy night.
How limited is GA parking at Las Vegas?
Genuinely limited, and the FAA says so on the airport record. Las Vegas runs on conventions and major events, and when the city is full the ramp is full. Parking has to be confirmed with an FBO in advance rather than assumed. This is the single most common reason a Las Vegas trip has to be reshaped.
What is the special event parking PPR at Las Vegas?
When the special event parking programme NOTAM is active, transient aircraft that are not permanently based at the field need a PPR number from an FBO for each individual landing. The confirmation number is obtained from the selected FBO and is entered in the flight plan. Around the big conventions and fixtures this is in force, and arriving without a number is not an option.
Do you need customs at Las Vegas, and how far ahead?
General aviation customs reservations require 12 hours of prior notice and are booked through the CBP website. The GA customs and immigration facility sits on the west side of the field between the two FBOs, which is convenient once you are there but does not shorten the booking window.
How long are the runways at Harry Reid?
Four runways, all concrete and grooved. 08L/26R is 14,835 feet by 150 feet, 08R/26L is 10,526 feet by 150 feet, 01L/19R is 9,770 feet by 150 feet and 01R/19L is 9,769 feet by 150 feet. Runway 08L has a 589 foot clearway and runway 26R has 645 feet.
Does the elevation at Las Vegas affect performance?
Yes, and in summer it matters. The field elevation is 2,183 feet, and Las Vegas summer temperatures regularly push density altitude far above that. On a hot afternoon departure the performance numbers are a real calculation rather than a formality, which is part of why the 14,835 foot runway gets used.
Which FBOs are at Las Vegas?
Two: Atlantic Aviation and Signature Aviation. Both handle business aviation and both sell Jet A, Jet A1+ and 100LL, with sustainable aviation fuel available at Signature. Two operators on a field this busy means less pricing competition than somewhere like Opa Locka, and it means parking availability is a conversation with one of two people.
Is ground handling mandatory at Las Vegas?
No, handling is not mandatory in the regulatory sense. In practice you are going through one of the two FBOs, and given the parking position you want that relationship established well before the day.
Are there other prior permission requirements at Las Vegas?
Two worth knowing. All non-standard runway operations require prior permission from the Department of Aviation. And aircraft with wingspans greater than 135 feet need Department of Aviation approval to use taxiway H.
What hazards are on the Las Vegas airport record?
Several that are unusual. Large numbers of birds and bats operate in the vicinity between sunset and sunrise. Extensive glider and soaring activity runs at weekends and on holidays from sunrise to sunset. And aircraft may experience sun reflection from the glass hotels northwest of the airport at various altitudes, headings and distances, which is exactly the kind of thing you would rather read before the approach than during it.
Do the runways at Las Vegas have displaced thresholds?
Yes, on several ends. The FAA records approach ratios to displaced thresholds on runways 01L, 01R, 08L, 19L and 19R. Because the runways here are long the practical effect is usually small, but the declared distances rather than the pavement lengths are what belong in the performance calculation.
What is the history of the Las Vegas airport?
It opened in 1942 and airline operations began later in that decade. It was named for Senator Pat McCarran, a Nevada politician closely associated with early aviation legislation, and carried his name for decades. The airport was renamed Harry Reid International after the late Nevada senator, and is owned and operated by Clark County. It is now one of the busiest airports in the United States for both scheduled and private traffic.
Should you use Harry Reid or a smaller Las Vegas field?
Harry Reid puts you closest to the Strip and the convention centres, has the runways and the customs facility, and both FBOs are well equipped. The trade is congestion and parking. When the city is at capacity around a major convention, the smaller Las Vegas area fields become worth pricing, particularly for a longer stay where the aircraft would otherwise have to reposition anyway.
What time zone is Las Vegas in?
Pacific Time, PST in winter and PDT in summer, which is UTC-8 and UTC-7 respectively.
Get Your Number
Request a Las Vegas charter
Send the aircraft, the dates and whether anything is on in the city that week. We will confirm ramp parking with an FBO before the trip is committed, obtain a special event PPR number if the programme is active, and book customs inside the twelve hour window.
Prefer to talk? Call +1 888 277 7203 or email charter@icarusjet.com. The desk is staffed 24/7.