Harry Reid International Airport
| Continent: North America | Country: United States | Region: Nevada |
| McCarran International Airport | |
| Location | Las Vegas, Nevada |
| IATA code | LAS |
| ICAO code | KLAS |
| Airport type | Commercial |
| Website | http://www.mccarran.com |
| Overview map | Google Maps |
| Communications | |
| Tower | |
| Ground | |
| Clearance | |
| Approach | |
| ATIS | |
Official Spotting Locations
Sunset Road Viewing Area
A parking lot on the south side of the airport, along Sunset Road, provides excellent views of the runways 7R/25L and 7L/25R. 25L is one of the primary arrivals runways, with 25R mostly used for departures. The fence is 10 feet high, so you will need a tall vehicle to stand on top of, such as a minivan or SUV, or a tall ladder for photos.
Other Spotting Locations
It is possible to walk around the perimeter by the biz jets, but it is a long way and the local authorities are a bit twitchy around the biz area. It can be done, but be subtle. If you feel like a long walk, go up the strip past the Mandalay Bay and you will get to the Signature terminal, you get lots of biz here. Also, they park aircraft behind the Klondike casino, just 100 yards short of the Signature ramp.
A good area for spotting if you don't have a car would be to get a taxi to Terminal 1, then go to the roof of the staff parking lot, from the southern corner you can get all the arrivals and departures. Also, with a reasonable set on bins/pole you can read off most of the biz you can't get from the perimeter. I don't usually spot from here myself as I use a car, but I have been told if you check in with the police desk and advise them of what you are doing you shouldn't get any hassle.
I usually do "the tour" starting on the strip south of the Luxor etc, doing the carpark of the executive terminal then heading north. After the Signature terminal, turn immediately right into "Terribles", here you can get another view of Signature. Back onto the strip for 100 yards, then into the carpark of the Klondike, and go around the back, here you can pick up more parked biz. Back onto the strip, turn right into Dewey Rd, follow the road around to the right and around here there are more biz, and this is where the military usually park. Back onto the strip, at the next garage at the traffic lights turn right, down to the T-junction, turn right, you may pick up some based biz (BBJ and 762) here. Back up the road towards the strip, at the junction (on a bend) turn right, follow the road around to the right. As the road bends to the left, straight on into the executive terminal... beware... a private security company regularly patrols here, so don't hang around. Papillon is on your right, as you drive in park next to the gate, and read off stuff here. Follow the building the right, past the hanger, here is the last parking area where plenty can normally be read off. I then exit onto Tropicana, drive into the airport and follow the green triangles parking in long term, drive up to the roof, and here you can get a good view on the stuff in executive you missed, plus a few extra bits and pieces. You can park here for 15 minutes for free. You then have the option to leave the car, walk across to the staff parking area (on the same roof), and spot from the corner that overlooks Southwest and US Airways, here you can get all arrivals and departures.
Alternatively:
Landing 25's: Park in the viewing area on Sunset Blvd, about 2 miles East of the strip.
Landing 01's: Park in carpark of Pannevino's, an Italian restaurant off Sunset.
Again head East off the strip,after 1/4-1/2 mile turn right just before the large sign for Pannevino, turn immediately left, then left again into the carpark, park next to the sign. Here you can read all arrivals and departures.
Locations to Avoid
Location
Regular Traffic
You will see just about every common jet here except a 777. Virgin Atlantic and Japan Airlines use 747-400s . Champion Air uses 727s. Lots and lots of Southwest 737s and America West 737s, A319s, and A320. Also neat to see EG&G 737-200s that fly to/from Area 51 on weekdays. Northwest & Continental also put the stretched 757-300s in here. bmi uses the A330.