Passenger traffic at Harry Reid International Airport fell 8.4% year-on-year for September, extending a decline in air travel to and from Las Vegas despite growth on international routes.
The airport handled approximately 4.08 million arriving and departing passengers, compared with 4.45 million for September 2025, according to Clark County Department of Aviation figures.
Domestic carriers accounted for most of the reduction. They carried approximately 3.71 million passengers during the month, down 9.2% from a year earlier.
Three of the airport’s five major domestic airlines — Southwest, Delta and American — recorded annual declines. However, performance varied across carriers, with Frontier increasing passenger numbers by more than 39% to nearly 418,000.
United also recorded growth, although at a slower pace. Its September traffic increased 0.9% to approximately 363,000 passengers.
International traffic moved in the opposite direction to the domestic market, rising 5.9% year-on-year to nearly 283,000 passengers. Gains at WestJet, Virgin Atlantic and British Airways supported the increase.
The international improvement was insufficient to offset the domestic decline, reflecting the substantially larger contribution of domestic services to the airport’s overall traffic.
For the first nine months of 2026, Harry Reid handled 38.43 million passengers, approximately 7.3% fewer than during the corresponding period in 2025.
September followed a 9% annual decline for August, when the airport recorded approximately 4.1 million passengers. International traffic also increased that month, contrasting with the broader reduction.
The airport decline follows weaker August tourism figures, when Las Vegas welcomed 3.03 million visitors, down 4.3% year-on-year. Hotel occupancy fell to 74.1% despite lower room rates, while revenue per available room declined 11.5%. Convention attendance nevertheless increased 6%, illustrating differences across the city’s visitor segments.
Longer-term infrastructure and development plans remain in focus. Harry Reid is preparing a multibillion-dollar modernization programme, while Clark County is considering a second commercial airport in Ivanpah Valley.
Airport passenger totals include arrivals and departures and should not be treated as a count of individual visitors to Las Vegas
