If you’re flying into Vegas, hailing a ride from the airport can leave visitors waiting in long queues and spending more than expected – especially for those heading directly to the Strip or Downtown.
Here are some tips on getting cheap rideshares from the Las Vegas airport and even a few other transport options:
What are the cheapest rideshares from the airport?
Uber
One of the most popular rideshare apps, Uber uses your phone to connect riders and drivers. Once you’ve requested a ride, you’ll be allocated a driver and given an estimated pick-up and arrival time.
Riders are given vehicle details, including the license plate and vehicle type, helping them to locate their driver. Uber is an excellent option if you’re looking for a cheap rideshare from the airport. Expect to pay between $10 and $15 from the airport to downtown Las Vegas.
Important tip: Uber drivers cannot pick up passengers curbside; you’ll need to make your way to the nearest parking garage first. Fire up your app, and don’t forget to input the correct terminal when ordering your ride!
Lyft
One of Uber’s main competitors, Lyft was founded in San Francisco in 2012. According to Ridester, ‘Lyft has given more than 1 billion rides across 644 cities in the U.S and Puerto Rico.’ Like Uber, Lyft works via an app that allows you to connect with drivers in the surrounding areas.
According to the Lyft website, the fare from McCarran International Airport to the Las Vegas Strip should cost around $17. Like Uber, Lyft picks up visitors from the parking garages. When you exit the plane, you can follow the signs that say ‘TNC/Rideshares.’
Tips for getting a ride from the airport
Here are a few general rules for using ride-sharing apps at the McCarran Airport:
- No passengers can get picked up from the “Arrivals” location.
- Drivers are not allowed to accept cash for rides.
- Drivers are not permitted to wait for passengers outside the staging lot area.
Where is the Terminal 1 rideshare pick-up location?
Walking away from the gates, make your way from level 2 towards the parking garages to find the rideshare pick-up spot. It would be best to walk by a parking ramp, with various retail shops opposite.
At the parking ramp, you’ll find a pedestrian bridge you can cross into the parking garage for Terminal 1. From here, you’ll see signs that direct you to the rideshare pick-up spots.
What are the other public transportation options from the airport?
Shuttle Buses
If you’re not keen on using a rideshare, there are also shuttle buses that go from the airport to the Las Vegas Strip. The Deuce is the least expensive shuttle bus and operates 24 hours daily.
Passes cost:
- $6 – 2-hour pass
- $8 – 24-hour pass
- $20 – 3-day pass
Taxis
If you’d prefer to take a taxi into Vegas, you can find several companies at the curbside taxi lines, all costing around the same.
You’ll pay around $18 to get to downtown Las Vegas if there’s not much traffic. Lanes are often congested on the Strip and Downtown, so plan to pay accordingly during popular travel hours.
For this reason, many tourists prefer to use ride-sharing apps instead of taxis. Ride-sharing apps run on a set price instead of a meter, meaning they usually work out cheaper.
The takeaway before you take off
Uber or Lyft are the quickest and most cost-effective public transportation options to save money and get into the action faster. To save time, set up your app of choice with your payment and personal information before you get to the airport.
Before you know it, you’ll be living it up in downtown Vegas, sipping on Martinis and trying your hand at the slots!
