Las Vegas officially reopened today, but the crowds didn't wait
Las Vegas didn't fully reopen until today, but that didn't stop large crowds from heading to Sin City over the Memorial Day weekend, resulting in traffic jams that stretched for miles near the Nevada-California border.
Get the latest travel news by signing up for TPG’s free daily newsletter.
Check out the traffic seen from the air in a small plane and posted by Antonina Shevchenko.
The Nevada Highway Patrol said in a tweet Monday that Interstate 15 was backed up late into the day as people left Nevada to return home after the long weekend.
Want the latest card benefits sent to your inbox? Sign up for our TPG daily newsletter.
By 10 a.m., traffic was at a near standstill for 26 miles, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Police patrolled the area, resulting in 252 traffic stops, 80 shoulder and off-road violations, 150 moving violations, seven crashes and five DUI arrests, which hopefully isn't an indication of what's to come.
Related: 8 things to know about Vegas during COVID-19
As of June 1, Las Vegas' COVID-19 restrictions were fully lifted for visitors. According to Las Vegas' official website, all restaurants, stores and casinos will be allowed to return to operating at 100% capacity.
Large gatherings will again be allowed, as well. However, the city urges residents and visitors to continue observing CDC guidelines regarding mask-wearing and social distancing.
Related: 9 ways Las Vegas is different in the age of COVID-19
"Increasing vaccination rates, a low positivity rate and normal hospitalization rates all justify the lifting of restrictions," the website says, noting that masks are still required in medical settings and on public transportation.
Related: How to avoid resort fees in Vegas
Overall, the city has taken a phased approach to returning to normalcy. As of late April, playgrounds, community and senior centers, outdoor workout areas, volleyball and basketball courts, and athletic fields had fully reopened, and as of mid-May, more than a dozen casinos were already approved to operate at full capacity.
Related: Parking fees are back in Vegas; Here's how to avoid them
With the full reopening, Nevada has eliminated the ban on surge pricing for rideshare services, which the state put in place to prevent price gouging during the pandemic. The lifting of restrictions is expected to draw more visitors and also increase the number of Lyft and Uber rides available.
Top offers from our partners
How we chose these cards
TPG featured card
Rewards
| 3X | Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Restaurants and Supermarkets |
| 3X | Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Gas Stations, Air Travel and Hotels |
| 1X | Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases |
Intro offer
Annual Fee
Recommended Credit
Why We Chose It
The Citi Premier’s 3 points per dollar spent across a wide range of popular categories is one of the more lucrative offerings in the world of points and miles. The Citi Premier comes with a $95 annual fee and is currently offering a solid sign up bonus of 80,000 points after you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months. It also has some valuable transfer partners to make the most of your rewards. Add in access to Citi Entertainment plus a $100 hotel credit for any single-stay hotel booking that exceeds $500 or more, excluding taxes and fees, booked through the Citi travel website, there are few reasons why the Citi Premier should not be in every traveler’s wallet.Pros
- Earns 3x points on restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, air travel and hotels.
- $100 annual hotel savings benefit (on single hotel stay bookings of $500 or more, excluding taxes and fees, booked through thankyou.com)
- Points transfer to 16 airline programs, from JetBlue to Virgin Atlantic.
- World Elite Mastercard benefits, extended warranty, damage and theft protection.
Cons
- $95 annual fee
- Lacks travel protections that other travel rewards cards come with
- For a limited time, earn 80,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after you spend $4,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening
- Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Restaurants and Supermarkets
- Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Gas Stations, Air Travel and Hotels
- Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases
- Annual Hotel Savings Benefit
- 80,000 Points are redeemable for $800 in gift cards when redeemed at thankyou.com
- No expiration and no limit to the amount of points you can earn with this card
- No Foreign Transaction Fees on purchases
Rewards Rate
| 3X | Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Restaurants and Supermarkets |
| 3X | Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Gas Stations, Air Travel and Hotels |
| 1X | Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases |
Intro Offer
For a limited time, earn 80,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after you spend $4,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account openingEarn 80,000 ThankYou® points60,000 pointsAnnual Fee
$95Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO© Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.670-850Excellent, Good
Why We Chose It
The Citi Premier’s 3 points per dollar spent across a wide range of popular categories is one of the more lucrative offerings in the world of points and miles. The Citi Premier comes with a $95 annual fee and is currently offering a solid sign up bonus of 80,000 points after you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months. It also has some valuable transfer partners to make the most of your rewards. Add in access to Citi Entertainment plus a $100 hotel credit for any single-stay hotel booking that exceeds $500 or more, excluding taxes and fees, booked through the Citi travel website, there are few reasons why the Citi Premier should not be in every traveler’s wallet.Pros
- Earns 3x points on restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, air travel and hotels.
- $100 annual hotel savings benefit (on single hotel stay bookings of $500 or more, excluding taxes and fees, booked through thankyou.com)
- Points transfer to 16 airline programs, from JetBlue to Virgin Atlantic.
- World Elite Mastercard benefits, extended warranty, damage and theft protection.
Cons
- $95 annual fee
- Lacks travel protections that other travel rewards cards come with
- For a limited time, earn 80,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after you spend $4,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening
- Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Restaurants and Supermarkets
- Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Gas Stations, Air Travel and Hotels
- Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases
- Annual Hotel Savings Benefit
- 80,000 Points are redeemable for $800 in gift cards when redeemed at thankyou.com
- No expiration and no limit to the amount of points you can earn with this card
- No Foreign Transaction Fees on purchases