Why Doesn’t the Las Vegas Monorail Connect to the Airport?

Never Intended to be a City-Wide Solution

Originally opening as a one-mile-long link between Horseshoe and MGM Grand in 1995, the Las Vegas Monorail wasn’t originally intended to be a city-wide mass transit system.

Only later, in 2002 was the Monorail expanded to include other casino properties up and down the Strip. Today, the Monorail is the only privately owned mass transit system in the US and operates as a non-profit organization.

As the system has expanded, there has been additional discussion about connecting the Monorail to both the airport and even Downtown but efforts have repeatedly fallen short.

Logistical Challenges / Inconvenience Factor

The Monorail runs behind resorts on the east side of the Strip and doesn’t stop at all of them. Are travelers really willing to walk from the already distant Monorail stations to their hotel? What if their hotel isn’t on a Monorail stop?

Example: A guest staying at Bellagio would have an estimated .6 mile walk from the Horseshoe/Paris Monorail station to the front desk of their hotel. That walk would have them dodging crowds, riding up and down escalators, and crossing the Strip in the summer heat.

It’s a first-world problem, understood, but will travelers choose the Monorail over an Uber in that scenario to save a few bucks?

No Funding for Airport Expansion

Previous efforts to extend the Monorail, like this proposed stop at Mandalay Bay, have struggled to raise the necessary funds to proceed.

Lenders are right to be skeptical; after all, the monorail filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 2010, leaving creditors holding the bag when it emerged in 2012.

Opposition from Cab Drivers

Extending the Monorail to the Airport would almost certainly result in less rides for cabs; however, there seems to be minimal organized opposition to expansion. That said, the cab community’s lack of protest is most likely due to the absence of firm project plans on the near horizon.

Experts have correctly pointed out that there will always be people that prefer a cab to mass transportation. Besides, cab drivers in Vegas have much more to worry about with the surge in Uber and Lyft, as well as driverless Zoox robotaxis.

Other Options Under Consideration

There have also been discussions historically about the potential for a light rail system to bridge the mass transit gap between the airport and downtown Las Vegas.

At a cost of around $750 million, the project could go a long way in easing congestion and simplifying ground transportation for visitors. The project in its current state wouldn’t address the Strip, however.

The Boring Company’s “Vegas Loop” System: A Replacement?

There’s also a lot of buzz around The Boring Company’s citywide “Vegas Loop” system, which currently connects the airport to a handful of resorts and the Convention Center. The system leverages underground tunnels that daylight at a growing list of resorts & points of interest.

Additional tunnels are being dug, and stops added. In all, The Boring Company plans to offer 90+stations across Las Vegas.

Blue tunnels are active, orange are under construction, and purple are planned.

The Boring Company has secured permits from Clark County, and the City of Las Vegas has approved stops that will connect Fremont Street to the system.

In fact, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) recently purchased the Monorail and terminated its non-compete agreement, which had prevented other forms of public transit from taking a foothold in Las Vegas.

Not only does it appear unlikely that the Monorail will be extended to the Airport, but it also seems unlikely that it will even exist at all in the future. Enjoy her while she lasts.