New Las Vegas terminal adds glitz to McCarran airport
LAS VEGAS -- Usually, splashy new casinos and A-list celebrities steal the headlines in Las Vegas. But later this month, Sin City's oft-criticized airport will get its turn in the spotlight.
On June 27, McCarran International Airport officially opens its gleaming new $2.4 billion Terminal 3. The facility, dubbed T3, will replace the airport's dowdy Terminal 2, which is set to close on June 28.
"Las Vegas is a city that's known for bold and daring architecture at its hotels," says Henry Harteveldt, a travel industry analyst at the Atmosphere Research Group. "You want your airport to be part of that experience. It's the first impression a traveler will have when they arrive."
McCarran officials believe fliers will get that experience in their new state-of-the-art terminal. It will house 14 gates, including new technology that, if an airline opts to use it, would allow self-boarding capabilities at the gates and self-tagging for baggage at check-in.
International service also gets a significant upgrade at T3. Half of the terminal's gates are equipped with the sterile areas needed to handle direct international flights, a segment that has been among the fastest growing at the leisure- and convention-oriented airport.
Spacious customs and immigration facilities should improve the experience for international fliers, while jet bridges that allow for the simultaneous front- and rear-boarding of wide-body jets could speed boarding times.
T3 will feature seven new restaurants and retail outlets, including a duty-free shop and express spa. Fliers with gadgets will appreciate free Wi-Fi and an abundance of power outlets throughout the terminal.
And, yes, it will have a classic Las Vegas standby: Nearly 300 slot machines will provide distractions for fliers throughout the 1.9-million-square-foot terminal.
Many Las Vegas passengers will never fly through T3. Several major airlines — including American, Delta, US Airways and Southwest, McCarran's busiest carrier — will stay in Terminal 1. After the new terminal opens, McCarran will begin transitioning 23 of its airlines to T3 in a three-phase process.
The first airlines to take up residence in T3 will be Las Vegas' international carriers, a roster that includes Air Berlin, British Airways, Korean Air, Philippines Air and WestJet. In all, 16 international airlines fly to Las Vegas with seasonal or year-round service.
Domestic moves
The first domestic carriers won't relocate to T3 until July 31, when Alaska, Frontier, JetBlue, Sun Country and Virgin America make the switch from McCarran's main terminal. The phased-in move will allow McCarran to ease T3 into operation, says Rosemary Vassiliadis, deputy director at the Clark County Department of Aviation, which manages McCarran.
Even passengers who don't fly out of T3 will see a better airport experience as a result of the new terminal. Having T3 online "will ease the congestion in Terminal 1," Vassiliadis says. "We are splitting the domestic traffic, so even though we'll have the same peak, our passengers in each of the terminals won't feel the same, because they'll be split between the two terminals."
Once T3 is fully operational, about a third of the airport's passengers will check in and go through security there.
