Las Vegas is a popular visitor destination and, increasingly, a place for people to call home. As visitor and/or resident numbers continue to climb, infrastructure needs to expand, too. And, apparently, Vegas officials have long been planning for one of their largest pieces of infrastructure to need additional capacity. That infrastructure is, of course, Harry Reid International Airport (LAS). But LAS doesn’t have space to expand, and as such, Las Vegas may get another airport. However, finding space for another airport is harder than I would’ve thought.
Las Vegas May Get Another Airport
Apparently, talks about a supplemental airport have been going on since the 1990s. At the time, officials had selected 16 candidate sites and eventually whittled them down to four. However, two of the finalists were to the north east of Las Vegas, which doesn’t seem like it’d be a problem until you remember what else is located up there – Nellis Air Force Base. Of course, that might be for the better, as one of the sites, Moapa, is a full 50-minute drive from the strip.
That left two finalists – Eldorado Valley, which is almost 40 minutes from the strip, and Ivanpah Valley, which is nearly 20 minutes from the strip. That 20-minute drive is almost double the time it takes to get from the strip to LAS today, but it’s also the closest option, including the two others that were disqualified. Naturally, you know which site won out.
But, as is evident by this post today, nothing happened in the years since the site selection was made. However, discussions that Las Vegas may get another airport resurfaced when the Ivanpah Valley Airport Public Lands Transfer Act was signed into law, which saw the Department of the Interior transfer Federal lands to Clark County, Nevada, for the sole purpose of constructing another airport. Of course, we all know what happened just 11 months after this act of Congress back in October 2000.
Now, talks that Las Vegas may get another airport have come up again, and things actually seem to be progressing. The Clark County Department of Aviation (CCDOA) is now beginning work on environmental reviews for what is now known as the South Nevada Supplemental Airport (SNSA), with the first step occurring in the next few months, which is to start awarding bids for contracts related to the environmental review process.
Where is Ivanpah Valley?
So, you must be wondering where the heck Ivanpah Valley is? Well, it’s to the southwest of Las Vegas along Interstate 15. The specific part of the valley they’re looking to build the new airport is an area called Jean, which is just past Seven Magic Mountains.
You’ll notice that I said the new airport is along I15, and that’s a bit of an interesting thing to note. After all, Brightline West is planning to build a high-speed rail line connecting Las Vegas and Rancho Cucamonga, California, primarily using the median of I-15 for its right-of-way. Would a station be built for the airport? I certainly hope so.
It’s worth that a general aviation airport already exists in Jean, though at 232 acres, it’s significantly smaller than the planned SNSA.
The New Airport
As we contemplate the fact that Las Vegas may get a new airport, I know everyone wants to know what the new airport will look like. Unfortunately, it’s too early to tell. What we do know is that the new airport will cover 6,000 acres, and will serve commercial, general, and cargo aviation. Further, the airport will have two parallel runways surrounding a central terminal building and its infrastructure, such as parking.
The above is a preliminary design concept, but isn’t the actual design of the airport.
Which Airlines Will Fly to the SNSA?
I know the biggest questions everyone will have when thinking about how Las Vegas may get another airport aside from where it will be is which airlines will serve it. Unfortunately, officials state that they won’t even have discussions regarding this until we get closer to the airport’s projected 2037 opening date. If I had to wager a guess, though, Frontier and Spirit are definitely going to end up down there – JetBlue, as well.
While it would make sense that LCCs and ULCCs would move to SNSA as, presumably, it be cheaper since it’s farther away from the strip, I don’t think all will move. Southwest might stay at LAS, as it’s a major operating base for the airline. Likewise, I’d expect Allegiant Air to remain at LAS, as they’re headquartered in nearby Summerlin and are the title sponsor of Vega’s NFL stadium.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see cargo operators move to SNSA, but that’s contingent on there being enough space in the area. After all, the airport has to fit between I-15 and Union Pacific’s right-of-way.
Las Vegas May Get Another Airport, Final Thoughts
What do you think about the fact that Las Vegas may get another airport? There’s no doubt that more air capacity is needed, and that the need will continue to grow. However, would you fly into and out of SNSA if it meant saving a little on your airfare? I actually would consider it if the CONRAC is more convenient. After all, the CONRAC at LAS, and the fact that you have to wait outside for the shuttle, are my most-hated parts of my Vegas travel experience. But, that’s just me
Another consideration, though, is what the heck they’ll name the new airport?