Las Vegas airport traffic declines in May as international arrivals fall

Passenger volume at Harry Reid International Airport declined 3.9% year-over-year in May 2025, totaling just under 5 million arrivals and departures, according to data released by airport officials.

While May 2024 was one of the busiest months in the airport’s history, the year-over-year decrease in May 2025 was attributed primarily to lower international traffic, particularly from Canada. International passenger volume declined 8.7% compared to the same month in 2024, totaling 303,481 travelers.

Canadian Airlines reports double-digit declines

Within the international segment, Canadian carriers saw the most significant drops. Air Canada transported 41,577 passengers, down 21.7% from the previous year. WestJet saw a 34.6% decline, with 61,219 passengers during the month.

Airport officials noted that May was expected to be the first month showing possible declines linked to consumer sentiment in Canada. Reports of dissatisfaction stemmed from political developments, including Trump's proposed annexation of Canada as the 51st US state and continued trade-related discussions involving tariffs.

Despite the overall decline, other international airlines reported increases. Virgin Atlantic, Korean Air, and KLM each recorded double-digit percentage growth in passenger volume for the month.

Domestic traffic posts overall decline

Domestic traffic also decreased in May, falling 3.7% year-over-year to approximately 4.6 million passengers. Spirit Airlines, the airport’s second-largest domestic carrier, recorded a 27.3% decline to 511,763 passengers. In contrast, Southwest Airlines, the top domestic operator at the airport, saw a 1.9% increase, handling nearly 2 million travelers.

From January through May 2025, total passenger volume at Harry Reid International reached 22.9 million, a 3.7% decrease compared to the same five-month period in 2024. Domestic traffic accounted for 21 million passengers, down 4%. International traffic showed a slight increase of 0.2%, totaling 1.5 million passengers over the five-month period.