mattya9

Carry on your bag, use the boarding pass on your phone, and go through TSA Pre Check at T3. I do it all the time and it's always been quicker than going through T1.

OPS

cmx

With Clear, you don't need to be at the airport more than 30 minutes before your flight, but the 45 minute cut-off is absolutely real. I have been on the bad end of that an embarrassing number of times. I've heard of people being denied boarding passes if, say, hypothetically you forgot to check in and got to the airport 30 minutes before your flight's scheduled departure.

FlyinHawaiian

Ryno1234

Amen on Clear. Not to derail the topic, but I was a bit skeptical of Clear when Delta made it a benefit for Diamonds. Now I am a HUGE fan. Even if it were not free as a benefit, I would pay the yearly fee. I didn't know Vegas had it and will be there next week. Boom!

RumPatrol

LAS is the one airport in the US where I absolutely will not mess around. I almost always go two full hours early, even with pre-check. If it isn't traffic, it is the line to check a bag, if it isn't that, it is the line at security (even pre-check). Doesn't matter what time of day it is, some days you may fly through all the steps and then have a while to kill, other days it'll take every minute of those two hours.

I've done that early Monday departure from LAS and there have been times it was as busy as I've ever seen the place since you have business travelers heading out on the road and leisure travelers trying to head back early Monday so they can drunkenly stumble into work later that morning (I may or may not be guilty or the latter).

I absolutely hate going to an airport even a moment earlier than I need to, but LAS can be so unpredictable that I wouldn't risk arriving any later than 90 minutes early.

ND76

+1

I was in LAS one day when the pre-check line was very long, and the guys who belonged to Clear were bypassing the line. I joined Clear the very next time I was in a SkyClub where they were signing up members.

Considering that a plate of chicken fingers and fries and one beer at Chili's near the Delta gates goes for around $30, the Centurion Club at $50 per entry (if you are like me and don't have the AMEX reserve card) is a relative bargain, considering that you get an upscale buffet and unlimited adult beverages.

Saj8986

Duke787

AMEX Delta Reserve does not get you into AMEX Centurion. You used to be able to buy lounge access for $50 if you didn't have a Centurion or AMEX Plat but that has been discontinued due to crowding with access limited now to Centurion and Plat only plus guests (and $50 day passes if you exceed your guest limit).

orca15

+1. Don't check a bag, go through the nearly empty Jet Blue terminal T3, take the (much shorter) train to Delta's D gates. 15 minutes max. There will be 3 people in front of you in the PC line. I arrive 75 minutes prior and am always at the gate T-55. Please don't tell anyone this secret pathway

DTWNate

Though I'm not advocating it, I have frequently gotten in a taxi from hotel one hour prior to scheduled departure and easily made my flight. I have TSA Pre and Clear and never rent a car nor check a bag there. ...and man, why do those blackjack heaters always happen when you have to leave for airport!?

To be fair, at peak times if I did not have TSA Pre and Clear I would want a full two hours at LAS.

PV_Premier

carry your bag through TSA then check it at the gate, if the line at the counter is long/slow.

75 minutes ahead with TSA PRE is probably adequate if you are comfortable w/ the above approach.

matchbox20_is

Which gates does DL have at LAS?

GagaPilot

Can't recall the specific gate numbers, but DL operates out of the end of the D concourse in LAS.

Duke787

It’s like 36-43 or thereabouts. I was recently there and came into 37 or 39 on an A321 and went out of 42 on a 738 (and the 752 to ATL left 42 immediately before us).

It’s a quick walk from the escalator but it’s the other direction from the Centurion (about a 5-7 minute walk from Centurion down to the DL gates)

jrl767

D34-D42 (not sure if they use the odd-numbered gates other than D41; we arrived at D42 and departed from D38 in Feb)