Las Vegas is within 20 miles of 3 airports with control towers: North Las Vegas, Harry Reid International and Henderson Executive. Most planes you see over Las Vegas are taking off from or landing at one of them. Airports take off and land into the wind, so when the wind changes, the paths over Las Vegas change too.
Right now over Las Vegas
Live aircraft within about 8 miles of Las Vegas, updated every 30 seconds.
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Which way the airports are landing right now
Planes take off and land into the wind. Here is the wind at each airport right now, and what it means for the planes over Las Vegas.
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Arriving planes don’t fly straight to the runway. Controllers line them up like cars merging onto a highway, often 10 to 20 miles or more from the airport, and fly them along the side of the airport before turning them toward the runway. That is why a town several miles from an airport can sit right under the line of arriving planes, and why it changes when the airport switches direction.
Flight paths over Las Vegas: what the recorded flights show
We’ve recorded months of flights below 10,000 feet over this area. Here’s what they show for Las Vegas, and which way the wind sets the runways at each nearby airport. These are averages: any single day can be quieter or busier.
- Over the center of Las Vegas, an aircraft is overhead about 3 minutes a day on average (very roughly 15 flights).
- The busiest flight path near Las Vegas is about 0.6 miles southwest of the center of Las Vegas, where an aircraft is overhead about 37 minutes a day (very roughly 220 flights).
- There: 100% helicopters.
Which way the wind sets the runways
- North Las Vegas (VGT), 3.9 miles northwest: over the past year, whenever there was a breeze, it favored landing toward the southeast (runways 12L and 12R) 35% of the time and toward the west (runway 25) 27%. When VGT is using the southeast runways, departing planes climb out toward Las Vegas.
- Harry Reid International (LAS), 6.4 miles south: over the past year, whenever there was a breeze, it favored landing toward the south (runways 19L and 19R) 57% of the time and toward the west (runways 26L and 26R) 18%. When LAS lands toward the south, arriving planes line up over or near Las Vegas on their way in.
- Henderson Executive (HND), 14.0 miles south: over the past year, whenever there was a breeze, it favored landing toward the south (runways 17L and 17R) 73% of the time and toward the north (runways 35L and 35R) 27%.
Estimated from the past year’s hourly winds (Nov 2025 to Oct 2026), counting the hours with at least a light breeze. The wind leads, but controllers also weigh noise rules, traffic and runway work, so the runway in use doesn’t always match.
Is your street under a flight path? Check your exact address →
Who controls the sky over Las Vegas
These air traffic control facilities keep the planes over Las Vegas safely apart. Each one has a free thank-you wall.
- VGTTowerNorth Las Vegas Tower (VGT)Takeoffs and landings at North Las VegasThank them →
- LASTowerLas Vegas Harry Reid Tower (LAS)Takeoffs and landings at Harry Reid InternationalThank them →
- HNDTowerHenderson Executive Tower (HND)Takeoffs and landings at Henderson ExecutiveThank them →
- L30Approach controlLas Vegas TRACON (L30)Guides planes climbing out of and coming down into the airports around Las VegasThank them →
- ZLAEn route centerLos Angeles ARTCC (ZLA)Handles flights cruising high over Las VegasThank them →
Why the flight paths over Las Vegas change
The wind
Airports use the runway that points most into the wind. When the wind swings around, arrivals and departures flip to the other end of the runway, and planes can start crossing a different part of Las Vegas. That often happens when a front or a line of storms moves through.
Storms
Controllers steer planes around thunderstorms, so on stormy afternoons flights can show up where you normally never see them, sometimes lower and closer together than usual.
Busy times
At busy times, controllers space arrivals a few miles apart and may extend the line of planes farther out, which can stretch the arrival path over more neighborhoods.
Training and small planes
Smaller airports nearby are home to flight schools. Student pilots practice takeoffs, landings and approaches, so you may see the same small plane circle back again and again.
Questions about aircraft noise in Las Vegas
Aircraft noise is handled by the airport, not by air traffic control. Each airport (usually run by a city, county or airport authority) has its own noise office and wants to hear about specific flights, so note the date and time. The airports near Las Vegas are:
- North Las Vegas (VGT)
- Harry Reid International (LAS)
- Henderson Executive (HND)
To find the right noise office, search the airport’s name with the word “noise,” or use the FAA’s airport locator. If the airport can’t help, the FAA’s noise ombudsman can. FAA: Noise complaints and inquiries → · Find your airport’s noise office, and what helps at home →
Nearby towns
🚀 Can you see rocket launches from Las Vegas? →
Every plane over Las Vegas is talking to a controller. Say thanks to the people who keep them safely apart.
Common questions
How many planes fly over Las Vegas a day?
Based on months of recorded flights below 10,000 feet, an aircraft is over the center of Las Vegas about 3 minutes a day on average (very roughly 15 flights). The busiest nearby path, about 0.6 miles southwest of the center, has an aircraft overhead about 37 minutes a day (very roughly 220 flights).
Which way does LAS usually land?
Over the past year, whenever there was a breeze, the wind favored Harry Reid International landing toward the south (runways 19L and 19R) 57% of the time and toward the west (runways 26L and 26R) 18%. Planes take off and land into the wind, so the direction flips when the wind does.
Why are planes flying so low over Las Vegas?
Planes low over Las Vegas are usually landing at or taking off from one of the nearby airports, such as North Las Vegas (VGT), 4 miles away. Air traffic controllers keep every one of them safely separated from the others.
Why are there more planes over Las Vegas some days?
Mostly because of the wind. Airports take off and land into the wind, so a wind shift can send arrivals or departures over different neighborhoods. Storms and busy travel days can also move or stretch the usual paths.
Which airport are the planes over Las Vegas going to?
The closest airports with control towers are North Las Vegas (VGT), Harry Reid International (LAS), Henderson Executive (HND). Low planes are usually using one of these; higher jets are often passing over on the way somewhere else.
Who do I contact about airplane noise in Las Vegas?
The noise office of the airport the plane was using, not the control tower. Have the date and time ready. If the airport can't help, the FAA's noise ombudsman takes inquiries through faa.gov/noise.