Zoox has become the first driverless robotaxi service to offer rides to and from Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas on September 3. The service is available at both Terminal 1 and Terminal 3.
Competitive Edge?
Zoox vehicles do not use the designated rideshare pickup zones and instead meet passengers at Level 0 in both terminals. This puts Zoox at an advantage over Uber and Lyft, where passengers have to walk five to ten minutes to a parking garage above baggage claim for pickup.
At Terminal 1, the Zoox pickup point is located beneath baggage claim near the corridor to the E Gates. At Terminal 3, riders are directed to a spot near Door 55. The airport has put up signs to guide travelers to these locations.
Drop-offs are made curbside in the departure areas, similar to taxis or rideshares.
Limited Routes
Zoox only transports passengers from the airport to 10 resorts on the Strip. This excludes popular resorts such as the Venetian, Caesars Palace, Virgin Hotels, Rio, Palms, and downtown Las Vegas.
The current list of resorts, in order of airport proximity, includes:
- Mandalay Bay
- Luxor
- Excalibur
- New York-New York
- MGM Grand
- Aria
- Bellagio
- Wynn
- Resorts World
- Fontainebleau
Zoox cars can only be requested from these resorts, but they can also travel to Area15, Fashion Show mall, the Las Vegas Convention Center, Sphere, and Topgolf. The Zoox app will notify users if they are too far from a pickup location and cannot send a car to them.
Zoox cars have limited space for luggage as they do not have trunks. Groups of four with more than one large bag per person may not fit all their luggage. Bags must fit between facing seats on the cabin floor, on empty seats, or on passenger laps.
Initial reports suggest that Zoox prices are similar to Uber or Lyft, with fares around $23 to the MGM Grand and $26 to the Bellagio, though prices may vary based on demand and time.
Prepare for Competition
Zoox, owned by Amazon, is the second company to offer robotaxi services at a U.S. airport after Waymo. Waymo launched airport services in Phoenix on November 1, 2022, and then in San Jose, San Francisco, and San Antonio.
Competition is expected to increase as Tesla, Uber, and Waymo recently received commercial robotaxi permits from the Nevada Transportation Authority. This will allow for the deployment of autonomous services across Clark County, potentially leading to up to 8,000 robotaxis operating in the region over the next year. Las Vegas is poised to become one of the leading autonomous vehicle markets in the world.