The Clark County Department of Aviation has disclosed that Harry Reid International Airport experienced a modest downturn in passenger traffic this January compared to the same period last year.
The airport, which serves as the primary gateway for Las Vegas, recorded approximately 4.34 million passengers for the month, marking a decrease of 0.9 percent from the 4.38 million passengers reported in January 2023. This decline represents the first instance of a year-over-year reduction in monthly passenger numbers since a 0.5 percent drop was observed in August.
All eyes will be on February’s report, which will include numbers that factor in Las Vegas as the host city for Super Bowl LVIII.
The hosting of major events like CES and the Super Bowl is poised to further impact tourism positively, drawing visitors from around the world and potentially revitalizing passenger counts in the subsequent months. Such events play a crucial role in sustaining Las Vegas’s appeal as a premier tourist location, driving economic benefits, and reinforcing its status within the international travel and tourism sector.
Despite the overall decline, the airport witnessed a significant uptick in international traffic, with the number of international arrivals and departures increasing by 19.5 percent to reach 281,462. However, domestic travel did not fare as well, experiencing a 1.9 percent decrease to 4 million passengers. Furthermore, activity at the airport’s westside charter terminals, predominantly utilized by air tour helicopters, saw a 9 percent decline, totaling 66,418 for the month.
Southwest Airlines continued to be Reid’s dominant carrier, followed by Spirit, Delta, American and United.
