Las Vegas Airport Passenger Traffic Drops 8.3% in May 2026

Harry Reid International Airport reported a significant drop in passenger traffic for May 2026, adding to a downward trend weighing on the Las Vegas tourism sector. The airport processed 4.57 million passengers during the month, down 8.3% from 4.98 million recorded in May 2025. Year-to-date totals tell a similar story, with 21.5 million travelers passing through, a 6.2% decline from the same period last year.

Domestic and International Travel Both Show Declines

The drop reflects weakness across both domestic and international segments. Domestic travel accounted for 4.2 million passengers in May, down 8.6% year-over-year. International travel totaled 286,000 passengers, down 5.7% year-over-year. For the year-to-date period, international traffic is down nearly 13%, pointing to persistent challenges in attracting foreign visitors. That gap suggests different forces are at work in each market.

Which Airlines Gained and Lost Passengers at Las Vegas Airport

Major carriers posted mixed results in May. Southwest Airlines led the market with 1.95 million passengers, though most major carriers recorded year-over-year declines. Delta (463,000), American (407,000), United (403,000), and Frontier (398,000) all  logged passenger totals for the month. Canadian airline traffic took a particularly hard hit.

Porter Airlines saw passenger counts fall 40.8% year-over-year, while WestJet dropped 20%. Air Canada was the exception, posting a 2% increase.

Among other international carriers, British Airways fell 13% while Volaris of Mexico rose 37%.

Spirit Airlines  Exit Leaves a Gap in Budget Travel Options

Spirit Airlines' shutdown in early May underscored the shifting dynamics among carriers at the airport. The low-cost carrier logged just 3,869 passengers in May, compared to 120,625 in April and more than 500,000 in May 2025. Airport officials noted that deplaning data for Spirit was unavailable, so figures were estimated using prior-month averages. Its collapse left a notable void in budget travel options for Las Vegas-bound passengers.

Tourism officials and the Nevada Gaming Control Board were expected to release visitation and gaming figures early the following week, offering broader context on whether the airport decline is reflected in gaming revenue and visitor spending.