Flying to Las Vegas, which airport / FBO is "best"

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digitalpilotnm

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John Brown
Hi, In a few weeks I will be flying a GA plane to Vegas so that I can attend a conference. I curious on which airport, FBO would be best to park my bird at for a few days while I attend a conference on the Strip.

I will be coming from New Mexico

Thank you in advance..
 
"best" for me is Atlantic at LAS.

You may have different priorities and tolerances than I do, so I can't imagine this input is valuable. But you asked. :)
 
KLAS/McCarran is closest to the strip, easy shuttle ride to most casino hotels. But that comes with a cost.
KVGT (North Las Vegas) or KHND (Henderson), similar FBOs, and are about the same distance from the strip, but KHND is probably slightly easier to get to from the south.
You have to compare proximity vs. fuel price ($8-something at KLAS or $5-ish elsewhere), landing/overnight ramp fees, taxi/Uber costs (I think about $40 from either HND or VGT), how comfortable you are with mixing it up with the big-iron airlines, etc.
 
Having come from New Mexico to all three Vegas metro airports, I think Henderson in the best.

The fees at LAS are outrageous. You could make a case for using LAS if staying only one day, but figure $50 per night tiedown now. Add on a high handling fee unless you buy enough overpriced fuel. Yes you will save 20 minutes drive time to the Strip from LAS, but you have have more taxi time on the airport and waiting time for takeoff. I am no slouch on the radio, having learned to fly in NYC airspace, but it took me literally half an hour to get a word in on clearance delivery at LAS to get out of there. So I saved no time at all.

HND offers a free one way shuttle to the Strip. Historically it has been three trips a day, and you have to call to reserve a spot the same day. Call the FBO for details. Take a taxi or Uber/Lyft back. Fees last time were $15 per night. Decent restaurant right there. A van will take you from the transient parking to the terminal.

VGT prices are identical to HND, but it’s a slightly longer flight from your direction, and wouldn’t save much drive time if any. And there is no free shuttle.

Jon
 
I’ve used Henderson and North Las Vegas, we flew in from the east coast and I usually used VGT. Even flying a Citation, I never considered LAS.
 
I've used Henderson several times and been happy with the service and prices. They have you park pretty far from the terminal, but they will golf cart you to your plane. It used to be that getting a rental car there was easy and relatively inexpensive, not much different than the cost of a taxi, especially if you want another transportation option during your stay. "Inexpensive" and "rental car" may not be words that go together anymore, at least for a while.

I've gone into VGT a couple times as well, and I generally find Las Vegas Approach controllers to be unfriendly (as in, they'll ***** at you if you admit you're unfamiliar with some of the VFR landmarks), so I'd just assume avoid them.
 
schmookeeg said:
"best" for me is Atlantic at LAS.
Click to expand...

If you are OK with the costs, Atlantic is the place at LAS. I've used Atlantic in a piston single and been happy with them. Location is everything. You can easily walk to The Strip when the weather is nice. Short taxi or Uber rides most anywhere as well. I have used Signature LAS as well and had good service there. But that was in a turbine buying lots of Jet A.

As friendly as LAS controllers are, it is still a busy Bravo. Have and study a taxi diagram and know your DP before you even start to taxi. That said, I like Henderson as well.
 
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