No travelers can be seen at baggage claim in Terminal 1 at McCarran International Airport on Wednesday, April 1, 2020, in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @ellenkschmidt_
Baggage carousels sit unused at McCarran International Airport on Wednesday, April 1, 2020, in Las Vegas. Gov. Steve Sisolak issued a travel advisory on Tuesday advising travelers into Nevada to self-quarantine for 14 days to help contain the spread of COVID-19. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @ellenkschmidt_
A lone traveler makes way to passenger pickup at McCarran International Airport on Wednesday, April 1, 2020, in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @ellenkschmidt_
The Starbucks is closed in Terminal 1’s baggage claim at McCarran International Airport on Wednesday, April 1, 2020, in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @ellenkschmidt_
Gambling machines are out of service at McCarran International Airport on Wednesday, April 1, 2020, in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @ellenkschmidt_
Baggage claim in Terminal 1 is empty at McCarran International Airport on Wednesday, April 1, 2020, in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @ellenkschmidt_
All security gates but one are closed at McCarran International Airport on Wednesday, April 1, 2020, in Las Vegas. Gov. Steve Sisolak issued a travel advisory on Tuesday advising travelers into Nevada to self-quarantine for 14 days to help contain the spread of COVID-19. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @ellenkschmidt_
A few passengers wait to be picked up at McCarran International Airport on Wednesday, April 1, 2020, in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @ellenkschmidt_
Luxe Cigars & Accessories is closed at McCarran International Airport on Wednesday, April 1, 2020, in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @ellenkschmidt_
The taxi line is empty at McCarran International Airport on Wednesday, April 1, 2020, in Las Vegas. Gov. Steve Sisolak issued a travel advisory on Tuesday advising travelers into Nevada to self-quarantine for 14 days to help contain the spread of COVID-19. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @ellenkschmidt_
Traffic to McCarran International Airport is slow due to coronavirus on Wednesday, April 1, 2020, in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @ellenkschmidt_
We all know how quickly life has changed in the past two months.
The once-bustling Las Vegas Strip is bereft of tourists and traffic. Nonessential businesses, including casinos and tourist attractions across the valley, are shuttered.
McCarran International Airport sets a new yearly passenger volume record for a 3rd straight year, seeing 51.5 million passengers go through its in 2019. Story coming in #LVRJpic.twitter.com/n7cuNPMzG6
In December, more than 4.2 million travelers were catching flights in and out of McCarran, pushing the overall number past 50 million for the first time.
Fast-forward to April 1 and it’s no joke, the coronavirus pandemic has ground air travel to a trickle.