SOME CARD INFO MAY BE OUTDATED
This page includes information about these cards, currently unavailable on NerdWallet. The information has been collected by NerdWallet and has not been provided or reviewed by the card issuer.
If you plan to visit Sin City and like flying with Southwest Airlines, you’ll be happy to know that you have many options for Southwest flights to Las Vegas. Here's what you need to know.
The Southwest route map from Las Vegas
Southwest runs daily flights to Las Vegas from more than 70 U.S. cities, and 116 cities have at least weekly flights to Vegas on Southwest. With such wide reach (and assuming you don’t mind making a stop if you're coming from a smaller airport), it's easy to find a Southwest flight to Las Vegas from almost anywhere the airline flies.
Flying Southwest into Harry Reid International Airport
You'll fly into Harry Reid International Airport (LAS), formerly McCarran Airport. Before you book your Southwest Las Vegas flight, know what to expect for departure and your return trip.
- Terminal: Las Vegas’ airport has two terminals — Terminal 1 and Terminal 3. All Southwest Airlines flights depart and arrive at Terminal 1 at the B and C concourses, where you’ll find a variety of shops, restaurants, eateries — and slot machines. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the public areas of the airport.
- Terminal 1 lounge: The Club LAS is past security in Concourse D, located near gate D33. If you have Priority Pass lounge access through a credit card, you can use this lounge. But because it’s in a different concourse than your Southwest flight, allow extra time to get to your gate.
- Terminal 3 lounges: You probably won’t be in Terminal 3 before your Southwest flight, but if you are, there’s a Centurion Lounge located in Concourse D opposite Gate D1 that’s accessible for certain American Express credit cardholders with Centurion Lounge perks. There’s also a United Club in Concourse D between gates 33 and 35. You’ll need a one-time pass or United Club membership to visit. Some United Credit Cards offer passes or memberships.
By signing up, you will receive newsletters and promotional content and agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.
The airline's loyalty program, Rapid Rewards
Southwest loyalists are wise to become Rapid Rewards members, which makes it easy to earn and redeem Rapid Rewards points. Points are earned by flying the airline, spending on a co-branded credit card or spending with partners, such as specific hotels. Members can also buy points or transfer them from outside loyalty programs.
When flying, points are earned at varying rates depending on the ticket type. For non-elite flyers, the airline's cheapest airfares, known as Basic, earn 2 bonus points per dollar spent. This ends up being a tiny fraction of what's earned for the most expensive ticket type (Business Select), which earns 14.
Elites are known as A-List or A-List Preferred members and get a further boost to points earnings, as well as priority boarding and other benefits. If you plan to fly regularly to Vegas on Southwest, consider becoming a member and earning status to improve your overall flight experience.
The value of Southwest points
The value of Southwest Rapid Rewards points varies depending on how you use them. NerdWallet’s recent analysis determined Southwest points are worth an average of 1.3 cents each. This baseline value can help you determine if your redemption is worth it or if you should instead pay cash and save your points for a more valuable redemption. Learn more about the value of Southwest points.
When looking at flight options, consider the airline's Wanna Get Away fares. Because these fares tend to be the cheapest cash option, they also get good value for your points compared to Anytime and Business Select fares. But if you've got earning in mind, consider the Wanna Get Away Plus fare, which gets you a 6x earning rate over Basic's 2x rate.
If your travel dates are flexible, use the Low Fare Calendar, which lets you search by month to find the cheapest travel dates. You can view the lowest fares by cash and points price to decide when is optimal to fly.
» Learn more: The cheapest Southwest flights to Las Vegas on points
Other tips for booking cheap Southwest flights to Vegas
There are plenty of ways to book affordable Vegas flights with Rapid Rewards points. Follow these tips to get a better deal.
- Open a Southwest Airlines credit card. New Southwest credit cardholders can earn a generous amount of points via welcome bonuses. Cards include the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card, Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card and Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card.
- Earn a Companion Pass. If you can earn the Companion Pass, a companion of your choosing can join you on every flight that you take at no cost other than taxes and fees. This benefit is available whether you pay the cash rate or redeem points for your flight. Alternately, the three Southwest cards mentioned in the previous bullet are currently offering a Companion Pass as part of their welcome bonus offers.
- Transfer points from another rewards program. If you don’t have enough Southwest Rapid Rewards points but have Chase Ultimate Rewards® points, you can transfer your points at a 1:1 ratio. If you have Marriott Bonvoy points, you could convert those to Southwest Rapid Rewards points, but we don’t recommend this option as they transfer at a 3:1 ratio.
- Fly on off-peak travel days and times. You're bound to find a more affordable airfare on a Tuesday than a Friday, and departing early hours versus mid-morning.
» Learn more: Can you have two Southwest credit cards?
If you want to fly Southwest to Las Vegas
This airline makes it easy to get to Sin City, as many Southwest flights to Vegas are nonstop. If you book your flight well in advance, you can find some nice mile redemption options, as well as affordable cash rates.
How to maximize your rewards
You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are some of the best travel credit cards of 2026:
- Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
- No annual fee: Wells Fargo Autograph® Card
- Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
- Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®
- Luxury perks: American Express Platinum Card®
- Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
Explore more on
Article sources
NerdWallet writers are subject matter authorities who use primary,
trustworthy sources to inform their work, including peer-reviewed
studies, government websites, academic research and interviews with
industry experts. All content is fact-checked for accuracy, timeliness
and relevance. You can learn more about NerdWallet's high
standards for journalism by reading our
editorial guidelines.
