Visiting Las Vegas for a Game?

Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) is the only major commercial airport serving Las Vegas and sits just 2 miles from Las Vegas Boulevard, putting most Strip hotels within a 10-to-15-minute drive. Taxis from LAS run $21-$29 to mid-Strip destinations depending on zone, while Uber and Lyft pick up from dedicated rideshare areas in both Terminal 1 (level 2 of the parking garage) and Terminal 3 (valet level) and typically run slightly cheaper. The RTC bus Route 109 ($2 per ride) and the Centennial Express (CX, $3 per ride) offer budget options: Route 109 runs along Maryland Parkway and requires a transfer to reach the Strip, while the CX provides a more direct connection, stopping at Flamingo & Las Vegas Blvd in the heart of the Strip from both terminals — though both are still impractical with heavy luggage.

Las Vegas is a car-heavy city and most sports venues sit off or adjacent to the Strip, so rideshare via Uber or Lyft is the most practical option for getting to and from games without dealing with event parking. The RTC Transit system runs 51 routes including The Deuce, a 24-hour double-decker bus that stops at virtually every hotel along the Strip and continues to Fremont Street downtown, and RTC also operates special event routes — the Game Day Express — for Allegiant Stadium and T-Mobile Arena (serving Raiders, Golden Knights, and UNLV football home games). The Las Vegas Monorail covers 3.9 miles along the eastern side of the Strip with trains every 4-8 minutes at $5.00 per ride, useful for hotel-to-hotel movement before or after a game, but it does not directly serve any sports venue.

The central Strip, roughly between Bellagio and T-Mobile Arena, is the ideal base for a sports trip: T-Mobile Arena is steps off the Strip near Park MGM, and Allegiant Stadium is less than a mile from Mandalay Bay at the south end. Mid-Strip hotels like the MGM Grand, Park MGM, and New York-New York run $150-$300 per night on non-event weekdays and can spike to $400+ on game nights and weekends. Budget-conscious fans should look at off-Strip properties on Harmon Avenue or Koval Lane, which offer significantly lower rates and are still a short rideshare ride from any venue. Book as early as possible for Golden Knights playoff runs or Raiders home weekends, as the entire city fills up and prices surge sharply.

Las Vegas is one of the few cities in North America where a single trip can realistically include NFL, NHL, WNBA, and college football, making it a prime destination for multi-sport itineraries. The Golden Knights have built one of the loudest and most passionate home atmospheres in the NHL since their 2017 expansion, and T-Mobile Arena on the Strip means you can walk from your casino to a playoff game. The Raiders relocated from Oakland in 2020 and still carry a complex relationship with their fanbase, so visiting fans from rival cities will find a lively, mixed crowd at Allegiant Stadium rather than a monolithic home crowd. Las Vegas is also a neutral-site event hub, regularly hosting the Pac-12 Tournament, NFL Pro Bowl week events, and major boxing and MMA cards, so check the calendar before your trip because a major event can transform the city and sell out hotels overnight.