Car Rental at Las Vegas Airport

Airport travel guide

Opulent and exciting, Sin City is one of the most notable travel destinations in the United States. But while the city itself has enough attractions to keep you excited for months, Las Vegas can also serve as a hub for exploring unique destinations in southern Nevada. Here are three suggestions to begin with:

• The Hoover Dam. Located in nearby Boulder City about 26 miles (42 km) southeast of Las Vegas, the Hoover Dam is the largest dam in the world.  The popular tourist attraction includes a visitors’ center, a power plant tour, and an in-depth tour. Despite its proximity to Las Vegas, the large number of visitors means the area can get quite congested with traffic, so plan at least an hour each way for the trip.
• The Mojave Desert. Primarily located in neighboring California, but also surrounding Las Vegas, the Mojave Desert is not only something that you might need to cross to get to Sin City, but can also be an interesting attraction in its own right. In addition to the hauntedly beautiful landscapes characteristic of the desert, the Mojave includes more specific attractions like the Mojave National Preserve which’s about an hour’s drive southwest of Las Vegas. If you liked this attraction, you will probably also enjoy Death Valley National Park which is the location of the hottest temperature ever recorded on earth and is about a two-hour drive to the northwest.
• Grand Canyon Visitors Center. Located about a four-hour drive east of Las Vegas, the Grand Canyon might be better visited on a two-or-three-day trip, but the destination is so majestic that it is absolutely worth the effort getting there. Most tourists visit the Grand Canyon via the South Rim entrance; the North Rim is considered more remote, but if you’re coming from Las Vegas, the distance is actually the same to either one.

Top international routes

• Los Angeles
• Denver
• Phoenix
• San Diego
• Seattle
• Burbank
• Sacramento
• San Francisco
• Oakland
• Santa Ana

Main airlines

The low-cost carrier Southwest carries the most passenger at the airport. In fact, around 40% of passengers fly on the airline. The airline connects Las Vegas to large cities across the United States. Other low-cost carriers such as Spirit, Frontier, and JetBlue also serve the airport.

Every major North American carrier has flights to and from Las Vegas. This includes American, United, Delta, Aeromexico, and Air Canada Rouge, Air Canada’s low-cost brand.

The airport also has international flights with KLM, British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Korean Air, and Eurowings.

Terminals

The two passenger terminals are T1 and T3. All international flights arrive and depart from T3. The two terminals are only linked airside through the D Gates. Automated people movers carry passengers from the terminals to the D Gates and C gates. A, B, and E gates are directly accessible from their respective terminals.

Location

McCarran International lies at the southern end of the Strip. The Rental Center is about 3 miles south of the southernmost hotel on the Strip, Mandalay Bay. If your destination is on the strip, then remaining on Las Vegas Blvd. is recommended for the experience even if it takes longer to get to the central or northern parts. I-15 is a faster way to get to Downtown Las Vegas which is 11 miles north of the rental center.

Most popular types of rental car

• SUVs - from $63 per day
• Medium cars - from $59 per day
• Large cars - from $71 per day
• Small cars - from $57 per day
• Premium cars - from $85 per day
• Convertibles - from $92 per day
• Vans - from $250 per day

Car rental desks

Advantage, Dollar, Alamo, and Thrifty are located in the separate McCarran Rental Car Center, which is about 3 miles (5km) from the airport. All other rental companies are located with a few miles of the Rental Car Center. If renting from one of these companies, you must take the bus to the Rental Car Center and then wait at taxi stand #4 for a shuttle to the specific company’s location.

Most rental companies not located in the Rental Car Center are located roughly three miles south of it just off Las Vegas Blvd. Sixt and Nu are notable exceptions with locations on the same road as the Rental Car Center.

Services and facilities

You’ll find many fast food outlets, bars, cocktail lounges, and restaurants, as well as countless shops. The duty-free outlets are in T3. There are also several lounges, ATMs, baby changing facilities, a children’s play area, pet relief area, pharmacy, first aid clinic, spa, slot machines, the Aviation Museum, and several art exhibitions. The lost property office is in T1. The airport is fully accessible to travelers with reduced mobility. You can find more information on the airport's official website.

Nearest gas station

A cluster of stations is located at the intersection of South Las Vegas Blvd. and Warm Springs Road. Any of these is convenient for filling up before returning a rental car to the McCarren Rental Car Center. Do not use the Sinclair station at the intersection of Gilepsie St. and Warm Springs Rd. right in front of Sixt’s location. It has significantly higher prices due to being so close to the rental car return.

If renting from one of the rental locations located further south on Las Vegas Blvd., there is a 7-Eleven station at the intersection with Pebble Rd. which is very convenient.

Popular one-way rentals

• Los Angeles (267 mi / 430 km)
• San Francisco (563 mi / 906 km)
• Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport (295 mi / 475 km)
• Salt Lake City Airport SLC (431 mi / 693 km)
• Flagstaff (253 mi / 407 km)
• Saint George Airport (119 mi / 191 km)