Monthly passenger volume plunges by over 2M at Las Vegas airport

Passenger traffic at McCarran International Airport fell by over 2 million people in March compared to last year as the effects of the coronavirus pandemic began to be felt in Las Vegas.

Last month saw 2.06 million travelers pass through McCarran’s gates, a 53 percent decline from March 2019’s 4.4 million passengers, the Clark County Department of Aviation reported Thursday.

For the year McCarran is down 15.5 percent, seeing 10.08 million passengers through March compared with 11.93 million during the same time period last year.

Southwest Airlines, McCarran’s largest carrier, saw a 62 percent decline, dropping from 1.6 million passengers in March 2019 to 606,650 last month.

Spirit Airlines, McCarran’s second-biggest carrier, experienced a 37 percent decrease with 263,768 passengers in March, down from 417,616 in March 2019.

Las Vegas-based Allegiant Air saw a 54 percent decline in passenger volume, dropping from 218,010 in March 2019 to 100,072 last month.

As a result of the lower passenger volume, McCarran has closed most of its retail and food vendors, consolidated parking in Terminal 1 and Terminal 3 and reduced hours that security checkpoints are operating.

McCarran received $195 million in federal relief funds through grants made available by the passage of the CARES Act.

The funding will help cover revenue lost during the pandemic and prepare for a return to normal operations when it is safe to do so.

Contact Mick Akers at makers@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2920. Follow @mickakers on Twitter.