Las Vegas layovers are rare. Here are some tips if you have one

It seems like a pretty fun thing to do.

If you have a lengthy airport layover, why not take in some of the things Las Vegas is famous for — entertainment, nightlife, dayclubs or a meal at a restaurant operated by one of the many celebrity chefs?

But alas, not that many flights have long layovers at Harry Reid International Airport.

In fact, Reid has famously been one of the nation’s leading O&D airports — that is, “origin and destination” airports.

That means for a great majority of flights, Las Vegas is the destination and not a stopover on the way to somewhere else.

For years, when it was known as McCarran International Airport, it was the second largest O&D airport in the country behind Los Angeles International Airport.

Today, Reid has slid to around fourth place behind Los Angeles, Orlando International and John F. Kennedy International in New York, according to a Reid International spokeswoman.

To be in a position to take advantage of a layover, an airport generally has to be an airline hub. The airline that come closest to having a hub in Las Vegas is the busiest commercial air carrier at Reid, Southwest Airlines, which has numerous connecting flights through Las Vegas, many from West Coast destinations and Reno to East Coast airports.

But Southwest has prided itself for years for its quick turnarounds at airports, reasoning that an aircraft in the air is more profitable than one that’s on the ground.

Another airline that takes advantage of origin and destination flying is Las Vegas-based Allegiant Air. It strives to bring passengers to Las Vegas and to house them in local hotels in a strategy that provides two streams of revenue.

A company that operated at McCarran between 1999 and 2002, Las Vegas-based discount air carrier National Airlines was the champion for long layovers. National used the airport as a hub, connecting cities across the United States through Las Vegas — and it encouraged stopovers. It offered passengers the opportunity to stay in Las Vegas in transit at no extra cost, giving customers an opportunity to enjoy our city when traveling from Los Angeles to New York at a leisurely pace.

While the chance of taking advantage of a Las Vegas layover is limited, here are a few tips on how to take advantage:

— Know where and how to access taxis and ride-booking transportation in Las Vegas. Taxis run 24/7 from the airport, and Uber and Lyft can be accessed in the Terminal 1 parking garage.

— Know your timetable. It can take more than an hour to clear Transportation Security Administration lines when the airport is busy. That means you may need a layover of four hours or more to do something fun here.

— Make reservations. If you’re going to a restaurant, chances are good you’re going to have to wait for a table unless you have a reservation.

— Know something about Las Vegas geography. From the airport, it takes less time to access the Strip than downtown Las Vegas, for example.

— Choose activities that aren’t time restrained. There are numerous museums to visit in Las Vegas where you can pop in, see a few things and then get back to the airport.

Contact Richard N. Velotta at rvelotta@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3893. Follow @RickVelotta on X.