US Air moving to D Concourse at McCarran
One of the oldest sections of McCarran International Airport will be without a tenant starting Wednesday when US Airways completes a long-contemplated gate switch.
US Airways will vacate Concourse A, where it is the only remaining airline, and go to three gates in southeast wing Concourse D across the corridor from American Airlines. US Airways and American have announced their intention to merge later this year, so concentrating their gate locations lays the way for all flights eventually coming under the American banner. The ticket counter and baggage claim will remain in Terminal 1.
In Concourse D, they will be neighbors with Allegiant Air, while the northeast arm will remain empty. Delta, Hawaiian and United occupy the other two arms.
US Airways is a currently a member of the Star Alliance, headed by United, but that is expected to end once the merger with American closes.
The northern arm of Concourse A went into mothballs four years ago as a cost-saving move, as US Airways dismantled the hub it once operated at McCarran. However, McCarran spokeswoman Christine Crews said the rest of Concourse A would remain open, even though three concessionaires will close and it will have no airlines permanently assigned to it.
US Airways will pay its own moving expenses plus clean up Concourse A so that other carriers could use it immediately.
Allegiant executives mentioned last year the possibility of transferring from Concourse D to Concourse A. “It is still on the table but it won’t be this summer,” said Crews.
Concourses A and B were built between 1970 and 1974 at a cost of $30 million, attached to the dome that was the new McCarran in 1963.
US Airways and predecessor America West built a small hub in the two concourses that housed more than 160 flights a day eight years ago. But US Airways then began pulling back about five years ago and is now down to 18 flights a day.
