Harry Reid International Airport held fifth place among mega airports in J.D. Power’s 2026 study. Its score rose 15 points while construction continued.
Construction walls and temporarily closed baggage carousels were part of the survey period at Harry Reid International Airport. Even so, the airport kept its fifth-place ranking among mega airports in J.D. Power’s 2026 North America Airport Satisfaction Study, and its score rose 15 points on the firm’s 1,000-point scale.
Its score also landed well above the category average.
Construction can dent the passenger experience. Yet J.D. Power’s findings suggest Las Vegas is getting credit for service and easy navigation, alongside the airport’s local character.
J.D. Power’s 2026 study found that satisfaction at large airports rose 13 points overall. The survey drew responses from 24,710 travelers.
Service and a distinct Vegas feel
Michael Taylor, J.D. Power’s senior managing director of travel, hospitality, retail and customer service, said Harry Reid ranked among the top three mega airports for staff. Travelers also saw the airport as innovative and easy to navigate. J.D. Power named it the most exciting airport among those it evaluates.
The terminal’s proximity to the Strip and its slot machines give travelers a distinctly Las Vegas identity to recognize. The Mob Museum store adds another local touch. Showgirls and Elvis impersonators occasionally greet passengers.
The Vegas Born Bar & Grill is the only Vegas Golden Knights-themed restaurant outside the team’s own facility, according to Monika Bertaki, the airport and Clark County Department of Aviation’s chief aviation marketing officer.
Construction cuts both ways
Airport construction can lower satisfaction while work is underway, then help once projects are finished, Taylor said. The highest-ranked airports in the study had completed, or were close to completing, multiyear capital improvement projects worth billions of dollars. Taylor said projects costing less than $1 billion are unlikely to make a dent in the passenger experience.
Road work near the airport was expected to continue through December 2026. Tunnel lane restrictions were scheduled to overlap with the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, set for December 3–12, 2026.
Bertaki said the positive response surprised her. During the study period, construction walls stood in the terminal and baggage carousels were temporarily closed. She described the work as a broad reimagining of the airport, rather than a handful of isolated upgrades.
Current work includes investments in food and beverage. The airport is also expanding its lounge offerings. Bump-outs are being added at the A and C gates.
Passengers can check TSA wait times on the airport website and inside the terminal. The rebuilding is part of a wider wave of visitor-facing investment in Southern Nevada. Durango’s expansion plans are another project, though they serve a different part of the visitor experience.
A larger airport is planned
Clark County aviation director James Chrisley told the Sun earlier this year that the airport is set for a multibillion-dollar transformation over the coming decade. Passenger numbers are expected to approach 65 million annually.
Plans call for more gates and ticket counters, plus curbside self-bag-drop technology. A terminal-to-terminal flyover roadway is also planned. The airport expects to add restrooms and upgrade baggage handling. Larger holding rooms are on the list, along with nearby passenger parking and enhanced security.
The airport handled a record 58,447,782 passengers in 2024. Traffic fell to about 55 million in 2025, the airport’s third-highest annual total. In August 2026, it handled 4,149,332 arriving and departing passengers, down 9.16% from August 2025.
Domestic traffic fell 10.2% that month. International traffic rose 3.9% to 293,672 passengers. Cirium data showed U.S. airlines scheduled about 7% fewer seats on Las Vegas flights in the first quarter of 2026 than a year earlier.
The study also found a link between satisfaction and spending. Travelers who rated their airport experience “perfect” spent an average of $47.60 in the terminal, more than $20 above those who rated it “just OK.”
Food and beverage prices remain passengers’ leading complaint, Taylor said. Distinctive local offerings can give travelers a reason to spend.
