Reno-Tahoe International Airport (RNO) serves Reno, Nevada, and acts as the primary gateway to Lake Tahoe and nearby California destinations. It’s a small, efficient airport that I’ve found remarkably easy to navigate, with broad flight access that punches above its weight. Reno boasts that it is “The Biggest Little City in the World,” and I think RNO could be considered the world’s “Biggest Little Airport” with its broad flight access combined with easily manageable size.
Note that Reno Airport is undergoing the “MoreRNO” multi-year program covering new concourses, ticketing hall expansion, loop road improvements, a Ground Transportation Center/ConRAC, parking expansion and more. I’m starting to see active projects impacting loop-road traffic patterns and overflow parking locations, with temporary changes to the airport layout. I’d advise checking ahead with the airport or your airline to see if you should allot extra time for transit. The good news is the airport will have even better access and capacity in the years ahead.
How to get to and from Reno airport
Reno airport location
Reno Airport is located just southeast of downtown Reno, Nevada, directly off Highway 395. How convenient is it? I’ve landed from a flight and made it to a Reno casino blackjack table within 20 minutes. In just over 45 minutes I’ve traveled from the airport to the base of a Lake Tahoe ski resort. It’s one of my favorite airports to travel through because of its ease of access and user-friendly operations.
Reno Airport’s location in the high desert helps it avoid most big snows and harsh weather conditions of the nearby mountains, but I’ve found winter drives between the airport and Lake Tahoe to occasionally be challenging. Check ahead for potential highway delays or even closures due to snow, high winds or accidents.
Shuttle services at RNO
Reno’s casino hotels want to make it easy for you to gamble, so almost all of them provide regular free shuttles to and from the airport. It’s a short ride within 15 minutes of major hotels, even with traffic. I’ve only seen delays during large conventions, when shuttle waits get longer. Other area hotels offer free shuttles too, so confirm timing and reservations in advance.
For Lake Tahoe, shuttle buses and car services run between RNO and resort areas for a fee. These work well if you’re staying at a single Tahoe resort. Note that Tahoe is a big lake, so North Lake Tahoe and South Lake Tahoe are unique destinations about an hour away from each other with their own shuttles and routes from Reno Airport.
Taxis and rideshare services at RNO
Reno Airport has plentiful taxi services on call and in a lineup outside the terminal. Both Uber and Lyft operate drop-offs directly curbside and have pickups in a designated rideshare area outside baggage claim Door D in the ground transportation loop. I wouldn’t recommend booking a standard rideshare for the longer trip to Tahoe in the winter unless the car is equipped for snowy conditions.
Rental cars at RNO
RNO makes rental cars convenient: nine companies have counters at baggage claim, with vehicle pickup in the adjacent parking garage just outside (covered walkway, no shuttle required). If you’re driving to Lake Tahoe in winter, make sure your rental has four-wheel drive and snow tires. Even as an experienced winter driver, I’ve found this drive treacherous at times. Check weather reports and allocate extra time for your return trip.
Airlines and destinations from Reno airport
RNO hosts flights from 11 different airlines, including all major US carriers and several discount airlines. Given its size, I think Reno Airport has great national connections: direct, non-stop service to 20+ nonstop destinations across the US and Mexico with 130+ daily arrivals and departures. Routes focus on the western US but also include direct cross-country flights to New York (including JFK), Chicago and Atlanta.
Parking at RNO
Reno Airport is surrounded by multiple official parking lots for short and long-term stays, all within an easy walk from the terminal with what I think are decently affordable rates. Remote long-term overflow lots offer shuttle service but the Purple Lot is still walkable (up to about 15 minutes) if you prefer to hoof it.
Navigating the RNO terminal
I think Reno Airport is an easy terminal to navigate, just a single building and two main departure concourses. The first floor has airline check-in and baggage claim and the TSA security checkpoint. The upper level centers around the High Mountain concessions and shopping area, with the B and C concourses on either side. The concourses are divided by airline, each side with about a dozen gates.
The airport’s small enough that I never have far to reach my gate. I’ve arrived less than an hour before departure and made my plane with time to spare – though it would probably be wise for you to allocate a bit more time than that in case of crowds or delays at security.
Check-in and security
Reno Airport’s airline check-in area is on the main terminal’s lower level, with an expanded Ticketing Hall featuring advanced travel technology and self-service kiosks. Given the proximity to ski areas, I’ve found RNO is adept at handling oversized bags with ski equipment. The airport also has a single TSA security checkpoint in the center of the terminal with TSA PreCheck priority access available during peak hours. Despite the single security area, I usually get processed quickly. Note that RNO doesn’t have an on-site TSA PreCheck enrollment center; you’ll need to enroll at off-airport locations like Staples or Office Depot.
Food and shopping
Reno Airport has the usual fast-food outlets plus some nice local choices. I enjoy Mari Chuy’s Mexican Kitchen on the first floor before security in the Terminal Lobby, a Reno favorite with great breakfast burritos and full dinner entrees. It’s a place you can relax with a margarita before saying goodbye to friends and family.
After security on the second floor, the mountain-themed Timber Ridge offers a nice (but pricey) Tahoe-esque spot for sitdown meals with runway views. Liberty Toast is a newer local eatery with tasty sandwiches and pizza. The Verdi Market has snacks and local specialties for your flight, while Tap and Pour and Reno Draft House both pour regional microbrews.
The post-security marketplace has shops for basic travel necessities, snacks and reading materials. I’d recommend No Boundaries for outdoor gear shopping and checking out the other local gift options available.
Gambling at the airport
This is Nevada, so of course Reno Airport has gambling. You’ll find gaming machines on both concourses, in the terminal lobby before security, and at certain bar tops with the Reno Draft House offering video poker. Traditional wisdom says airport machines are “tight” with bad payoffs, but I’ve won a little money while waiting for a flight. Players must be 21 or older.
Wi-Fi and other amenities
Reno Airport provides free “Airport Courtesy WiFi” throughout the terminal that I’ve found easy to connect to with reasonably fast service (the Escape Lounge’s ultra-fast, private Wi-Fi is faster if you want to pay for lounge access). The terminal adds rotating local art exhibits through the Arts at the Airport program, year-round and seasonal live music performances, and a cadre of cute certified therapy dogs roaming the airport as part of the Paws4Passengers program, really the highlight of some of my trips.
Lounges at RNO
The Escape Lounges franchise provides Reno’s only airport lounge. It’s located on the second level after security between the B and C concourses in the High Mountain Marketplace. You can access it with pay-per-use admission or free with an American Express Platinum Card or Delta SkyMiles Reserve Card (when traveling on a Delta-marketed flight that day).
I recommend Escape Lounges Reno as a pleasant preflight area to grab complimentary food and drink, get some work done on ultra-fast, private Wi-Fi and escape the terminal bustle. The relatively high admission price and limited cardmember access mean this location usually doesn’t get very crowded. I’ve found the food and drink pretty good and the service friendly.
International travel from RNO
Currently, with only one international flight (Volaris nonstop to Guadalajara), RNO has a small but efficient inbound passport control and customs area. The airport doesn’t have any Global Entry enrollment or dedicated lanes, but the single inbound flight means you probably won’t be waiting too long for processing anyway.
This KAYAK-commissioned article is presented as-is, for general informational purposes only, and may not be up-to-date. The opinions contained in the article are original to the author and reflect their authentic experience, which may vary significantly from the experience of others.
