LAS VEGAS (FOX5) -
The brand new Terminal 3 at McCarran International Airport is welcoming domestic flights for the first time Tuesday.
Five carriers - Alaska Airlines, Frontier, Jetblue, Sun Country and Virgin America - will relocate from Terminal 1, Clark County Aviation officials said.
The airport hopes the move will improve customers' airport experience and ease congestion with departures and passenger pickup.
"They're going to take traffic off the roadways," said airport spokesman Chris Jones. "It's going to ease congestion at the security checkpoints. It's going to ease congestion at baggage claim. All of these things will even out where people are at the airport and that in turn will benefit everybody. It's just a matter of getting used to these changes and knowing to look for you terminal before you get here and get out of your car."
The state-of-the-art Terminal 3 opened on June 27, first welcoming international flight passengers.
United and Hawaiian airlines are expected to move to Terminal 3 on Aug. 22.
Aviation officials also said visitors to the new terminal should check out McCarran's website before heading out to pick up a friend or relative.
"It will show you an interactive map of where you should park, where your ticketing is, it will show you where you need to be picked up after your trip," Jones said. "So just a few minutes online can spare you a lot of heartache."
You can get more information at www.mccarran.com.
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