Harry Reid International Airport saw an 8% decline in domestic flights and a 13% drop in international arrivals for fiscal 2026, with the closure of Spirit Airlines and a sharp fall in Canadian tourism driving the downturn.
Las Vegas is experiencing a notable decline in air travel, with Harry Reid International Airport reporting significant drops in both domestic and international passenger arrivals for fiscal year 2026. The downturn is being attributed primarily to the shutdown of Spirit Airlines and a steep reduction in Canadian visitors, according to a recent presentation to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority board.
Airport data shows that more than 4.2 million passengers traveled through Harry Reid International in June 2026, continuing a year-over-year downward trend. In May, the airport handled 4,570,647 passengers, marking an 8.4% decrease compared to May 2025. The overall decline in air arrivals has raised concerns for the local tourism and hospitality sectors, which rely heavily on steady visitor traffic.
Spirit Airlines Closure Impacts Capacity
Spirit Airlines, once the second-largest carrier serving Las Vegas, ceased operations on May 2, 2026, after filing for bankruptcy amid mounting debt and rising fuel costs. The airline previously operated flights to 16 markets from Las Vegas and accounted for 5.3 million of the 32 million inbound domestic seats in fiscal 2023. By fiscal 2026, total arriving seats had dropped to 29 million, with the loss of Spirit representing the majority of the reduction.
While other airlines have stepped in to cover all 16 former Spirit routes, only about half of the lost capacity has been replaced so far. Allegiant Air, based in Las Vegas, quickly launched special offers to attract displaced Spirit customers and temporarily stabilized fares on overlapping routes. In addition, 11 domestic and six international airlines have added 32 new destinations to Las Vegas in the past six months, contributing 1.1 million seats annually. However, these additions have not fully offset the loss from Spirit’s exit.
Canadian Tourism Declines Sharply
The drop in Canadian visitors has compounded the challenges for Las Vegas tourism. According to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, Canadian arrivals fell 17.4% in 2025, resulting in a loss of 252,400 visitors and bringing the total to 1,196,300. The overall number of international visitors to Las Vegas declined 4.8% to 4,726,500, while total visitation dropped 7.5% to 38.5 million—the lowest level since 2021.
Industry analysts point to several factors behind the Canadian decline, including trade disputes, immigration policies, and political rhetoric since President Donald Trump returned to office in January 2025. In response to weaker demand, Canadian airlines have reduced their U.S. service, cutting 292,000 seats from Las Vegas-bound flights.
Efforts to Rebuild International Travel
To counteract the loss of Canadian and Spirit Airlines traffic, Las Vegas is working to expand its reach in other international markets. Recent additions include new nonstop service to Paris via Air France, with direct flights to Australia scheduled to begin in December. These efforts are expected to boost international seat capacity by 3% from July through December 2026, according to aviation consultants advising the LVCVA.
While the recovery is underway, local tourism officials acknowledge that restoring previous levels of Canadian visitation will be challenging. The focus now is on diversifying Las Vegas’s international visitor base and supporting airlines as they add new routes to the city.
