5 Closest Airports to Lake Tahoe [Best Ways to get to Lake Tahoe]

Lake Tahoe is centrally located on the border between California and Nevada, with several great airport options nearby.

While the Reno-Tahoe airport is the closest major airport to Lake Tahoe, you might want to choose another place to land with more connecting flights and cheaper prices.

We have flown into all of these airports and have made the drive to the lake, and now we can share our top tips to make your trip easier, faster, and less expensive.

5 Closest Airports to Lake Tahoe

When visiting this alpine lake, there are several Lake Tahoe airports you can choose from depending on where you’re flying from and the amount of travel time you’re comfortable with. 

Reno-Tahoe International Airport (RNO) is the closest airport to Lake Tahoe with just a 45-minute drive to the North Lake in clear conditions.

The second nearest airport to Lake Tahoe is the Sacramento International Airport (SMF) which is 2 hours and 120 miles from the lake.

If you are coming in from international destinations or are doing a cross-country flight, the closest major airport to Lake Tahoe is San Francisco International Airport (SFO).

Oakland International Airport (OAK) is another international airport closest to Lake Tahoe.

This is a good choice for flights within the United States as the fares to this airport can be really good from some destinations.

The Mammoth Yosemite Airport (MMH) is another option if you plan on visiting both Mammoth Lakes and Lake Tahoe.

Closest Airport to Lake Tahoe

1. Reno-Tahoe International Airport (RNO)

• Distance to North Lake Tahoe: 34 mi
• Drive Time to North Lake Tahoe: 45 mins
• Wifi: Free
• Transportation Options to Lake Tahoe: Rental Car, Rideshare (Uber/Lyft), Taxi, Shuttle service

Reno-Tahoe Airport is the closest international airport to Lake Tahoe.

While it is technically an international airport, there is currently only one international destination available (Guadalajara).

When flying to Lake Tahoe, you will want to get to your accommodation and on to enjoying this alpine lake and the surrounding recreation as fast as possible.

And the best way to get to Lake Tahoe if you’re short on time is flying into Reno-Tahoe Airport as you can be to the lake in under an hour from touchdown.

How far is Reno airport to Lake Tahoe?

The distance from Reno airport to Lake Tahoe is 34 miles, which is about a 45 minute drive to the North side of the lake.

This 34-mile trip takes you on a scenic drive over the Mount Rose pass at an elevation of 8260 feet.

Conditions can be very snowy during the winter months and you may need an all-wheel-drive vehicle with snow tires or you will need to carry chains.

The other option is to take highway 80 to Kings Beach but this is a longer drive.

What airlines fly to Lake Tahoe?

These are the non-stop flights to Reno-Tahoe airport within California:

Airlines	Destinations
Alaska Airlines	Los Angeles
Delta Airlines	Los Angeles
JetBlue Airways	Los Angeles
JSX	Burbank, Orange County
Southwest Airlines	Burbank, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Oakland, San Diego, San Jose
United Airlines	Los Angeles, San Francisco

These are the non-stop flights to Reno-Tahoe airport outside of California:

Airlines	Destinations
United Airlines	Chicago – O’Hare, Denver, Houston – Intercontinental,
Delta Airlines	Minneapolis, Salt Lake City
Southwest Airlines	Dallas – Love Field, Denver, Las Vegas, Phoenix
American Airlines	Dallas – Fort Worth, Phoenix
Spirit Airlines	Las Vegas
JetBlue Airways	New York
Alaska Airlines	Portland, Seattle
Allegiant Airlines	Las Vegas
Frontier	Las Vegas
JSX	Las Vegas
Sun Country	Minneapolis

How to get from Reno Airport to Lake Tahoe

There are several options for getting to Lake Tahoe from the Reno Airport ranging from a pre-booked shuttle service to ride-share options like Uber or Lyft.

The price will vary greatly depending on where you are staying on this huge lake. Trips to South Lake Tahoe will cost you more than the shorter ride to the northern areas.

You can also rent a car if you want the flexibility to explore the surrounding areas and cruise around the lake. 

🚘RENTAL CARS AT RENO-TAHOE AIRPORT (RNO) – Alamo, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, Hertz, National Car, Payless Car, Thrifty. If you are renting a car in the winter, make sure to get an all-wheel drive.

🚌RENO TO LAKE TAHOE SHUTTLE

• Estimated Cost: $32 to $150
• Travel Time: 1 hr 30 mins

Getting to Lake Tahoe from Reno airport is fairly easy if you book a shuttle. There are two companies available depending on which side of the lake you are staying in.

• NORTH LAKE TAHOE EXPRESS – Estimated Cost: $150/person one-way, $50/person for five shared one-way trips if traveling with a group 
• Schedule & Route

• SOUTH TAHOE AIRPORTER – Estimated Cost: One-way adult ticket $32.75, Round-trip $59.50
• Schedule & Route

Related: How to Adjust to Lake Tahoe’s High Altitude

🚕RIDESHARE OR TAXI FROM RENO AIRPORT TO LAKE TAHOE

• Estimated Cost: $83-$84 for standard and $140-$141 for XL
• Travel Time: 1 hour and 10 minutes
• Pick-up Location: For Uber/Lyft, follow signs outside of the D Doors, north of Baggage Claim, and look for the rideshare shelter. For Taxis, the waiting area is just outside the D doors north of the Baggage claim area.

Heading to Lake Tahoe to ski or snowboard? Check out our map of Tahoe ski resorts.

Other Airports near Lake Tahoe

2. Sacramento International Airport (SMF)

• Distance to Lake Tahoe: 119 miles
• Drive Time to Lake Tahoe: 2 hrs 9 mins
• Wifi: Free
• Transportation Options to Lake Tahoe: Rental Car, Bus, Train
• Airlines: American Airlines, Delta, United Airlines,  Alaska Airlines, Frontier, Hawaiian Airlines, Horizon, JetBlue, Southwest, Spirit 

If you plan to visit places other than Lake Tahoe on your trip, Sacramento International Airport is a great jump-off point to most destinations in northern California.

This is the closest international airport to Lake Tahoe next to Reno airport, but has more options available.

This airport is situated right in the middle of Lake Tahoe, San Francisco, Yosemite, Mount Shasta and so much more. 

The drive from Sacramento airport to Lake Tahoe will take about 2 hours and the flights here tend to be a hair cheaper than Reno airport.

Sacramento Airport is one of the best airports near Tahoe since if there are storms in the forecast, your flight is less likely to be delayed or canceled compared to Reno as it is at a higher elevation.

Getting from Sacramento Airport to Lake Tahoe

There are several ways to get from Sacramento Airport to Lake Tahoe, but the best option is to rent a car. Find out if you’re old enough to rent a car in California.

This is the fastest and the most direct option available on top of the fact that you will need transportation once you arrive.

When driving, you will have two options on how to get to the lake.

The first is highway 50, which will lead you right to South Lake Tahoe, and the second option is to take highway 80, which will get you to Tahoe City and Kings Beach in the north.

If you are unable to drive or renting a car is off the table, there are other choices that will take longer but will get you to the lake safely.

🚘RENTAL CARS AT SACRAMENTO AIRPORT (SMF) – Advantage, Avis, Budget, Dollar,  Enterprise,  EZ,  Hertz, National, Payless, Thrifty,  Zipcar

• 🚌BUS FROM SACRAMENTO AIRPORT TO LAKE TAHOE 

If you need to get to Lake Tahoe from Sacramento without a car, another option is to ride the bus.

For this route, the bus does not leave directly from the airport, but rather from the Sacramento Valley Station (Amtrak) which is a 15-minute taxi/Uber ride, or the Greyhound bus station on Richards Blvd. 

The bus leaving from the Amtrak station drops you off in South Lake and has only one departure time at 10:00 AM everyday.

If this does not line up with your flight arrival time, you may need to spend the night in Sacramento and travel the following day.

Greyhound has two trips to Truckee, one in the morning and one in the evening. From the bus station you can take an Uber/Lyft or hop on the Tahoe Truckee Area Regional Transit (TART) bus to the North Shore.

• Estimated Cost: Uber/Lyft ($18-$30), Bus ($34)
• Travel Time: 2.5 hrs
• Bus Companies: Greyhound, El Dorado Transit

• 🚃SACRAMENTO TO LAKE TAHOE BY TRAIN

Another option to travel from Sacramento airport to Lake Tahoe is by train.

For this option, you will need to take a 15-minute taxi/Uber from the airport to the Sacramento Amtrak station.

Depending on what side of the lake you’re heading to, you will want to get off in Reno for South Shore and Truckee station if staying on the North Shore.  

The trains departing for both stops only leave at 11 AM every day so keep that in mind when lining up your flight arrival time.

From the Truckee/Reno Amtrak station, you will then need to take a taxi/Uber to get to the lake.

• Estimated Cost: Uber/Lyft ($18-$30), Amtrak Train (~$55-$70), Uber/Lyft
• Travel Time: 3.5 hrs

3. San Francisco International Airport (SFO)

• Distance to Lake Tahoe: 204 mi
• Drive Time to Lake Tahoe: 3 hrs 40 mins
• Wifi: Free
• Transportation Options to Lake Tahoe: Rental Car, Bus, Ski Bus, Train, Plane

If you are flying in from international destinations, San Francisco International airport will most likely be your final destination.

This might also be the best airport for Lake Tahoe if you are looking for the cheapest flight since large hub airports have cheaper fares. 

If you do fly into San Francisco, you will have a few options on how to get to Lake Tahoe with a rental car being the fastest and best option.

San Francisco Airport to Lake Tahoe

The drive from San Francisco airport to Lake Tahoe is about 3 hours and 40 minutes, depending on the traffic.

If taking public transportation, you can take the Greyhound bus but you will have to get yourself to the bus station in downtown SF and then from Truckee to the lake. 

The second option is to take the Amtrak train which involves a BART ride to Richmond station, then a transfer to the Amtrak train heading to Truckee.

These are more challenging options but cheaper overall than a car rental.

4. Oakland International Airport (OAK)

• Distance to Lake Tahoe: 197 mi
• Drive Time to Lake Tahoe: 3.5 hrs
• Wifi: Free
• Transportation Options to Lake Tahoe: Rental Car, Bus, Train, Plane

Oakland International is another airport near Tahoe and has just as cheap of flights as SFO, but it is quieter and much less hectic.

Oakland Airport is a slightly shorter drive at 3.5 hours than the San Francisco Airport with nearly the same amount of distance at 200 miles for the trip.

Getting a rental car is the most convenient way to travel to Lake Tahoe with several rental companies to choose from.

The drive time from Oakland airport to Lake Tahoe is about 3.5 hours, which can fluctuate depending on the traffic.

Oakland Airport to Lake Tahoe

If driving from Oakland to Tahoe is not an option, you can take the 5-hour bus ride (Greyhound) to Truckee then take a 15-minute Uber/Lyft or the Tahoe Truckee Area Regional Transit (TART) to the North Shore.

Another option is to take the train (Amtrak) which leaves once a day and drops you off in South Lake for about the same amount of time as the bus.

5. Mammoth Yosemite Airport

• Distance to Lake Tahoe: 141 mi
• Drive Time to Lake Tahoe: 2 hrs 45 mins
• Wifi: Free
• Transportation Options to Lake Tahoe: Rental Car, Eastern Sierra Transit Bus
• Airline: Advanced Air

This small airport located just south of Mammoth Lakes on Highway 395 is a great option for those that want to visit both of these alpine destinations.

The drive from Mammoth Yosemite Airport to Tahoe is gorgeous, with the towering Sierra Nevada Mountains flanking the highway.

During the winter months, this route can be fairly treacherous and is best left to those with experience driving in snowy conditions. 

Advanced Air is the only carrier that flies into Mammoth Airport, with limited routes to airports in Southern California, including Burbank, Hawthorne, and Carlsbad.

Mammoth Yosemite Airport to Lake Tahoe

There are only two reasonable options for getting to Lake Tahoe from Mammoth Yosemite Airport, with the best choice being renting a car to drive yourself.

Enterprise Rent-A-Car and National Car Rental have a limited amount of cars available to rent at the airport, so we highly recommend making an advanced booking.

The second option is to take the Eastern Sierra Transit Authority bus from the town of Mammoth to the Reno Tahoe Airport, followed by a shuttle from the airport to South Lake Tahoe on the South Tahoe Airporter.

This will require taking the MAWS shuttle from the Mammoth Airport to the town of Mammoth, and the total cost of the trip will cost between $100 to $140. 

• 🚘RENTAL CARS AT MAMMOTH YOSEMITE AIRPORT (MMH) – Hertz, Enterprise, National
• ✈️DIRECT FLIGHTS TO MAMMOTH FROM CALIFORNIA – Burbank (BUR), Los Angeles Hawthorne (HHR), Carlsbad (CLD)

Is there an airport in Lake Tahoe?

The closest airport to Lake Tahoe is the Reno-Tahoe International airport which is 34 miles from Lake Tahoe and takes about 45 minutes to drive.

Lake Tahoe Airport does not have commercial flights offered, so the nearest airport is the one in Reno.

Lake Tahoe Quick Facts

Best Time to Visit: Spring and Fall in Lake Tahoe is the best time to go if you want to avoid the crowds. Winter is best for those into snowsports, while Summer in Lake Tahoe is best for great weather to visit the beaches, it is also the most crowded.

Where to Stay: For the most conveniently located hotel in South Lake Tahoe, stay at the Black Bear Lodge for a cabin with a jacuzzi and the Hyatt Regency Resort & Spa in North Lake Tahoe for a lakefront stay.

Getting there: The closest airport to Tahoe is Reno-Tahoe International which is 35 miles away. For the best flight deals, use Skyscanner to browse various airlines and prices.

Getting Around: The best way to get around Lake Tahoe is by car. Use Rentalcars.com to score the best deals on rental cars.

Best Self-Guided Tour: This audio tour from GyPSy Guide provides engaging commentary to make your trip more fun and interesting at such an incredible price!

FAQs: How to get to Lake Tahoe

Where to fly into for Lake Tahoe?

The best airport to fly into to visit Lake Tahoe is the Reno-Tahoe International Airport, which is only a 34-mile drive from the north lake.

While the Reno-Tahoe International Airport is the closest option, there are a limited amount of routes flown by airlines that operate at this airport.

The second closest option with more airlines and routes is Sacramento International Airport, which is 119 miles from South Lake Tahoe.

How far is Lake Tahoe from airport?

Lake Tahoe is situated 34 miles from the nearest airport, which is Reno-Tahoe International.

The drive to Lake Tahoe from the Reno-Tahoe airport will take an estimated 45 minutes in clear road conditions.

The second closest airport to Lake Tahoe is the Sacramento International Airport which is 119 miles away and a 2 hour and 9 minute drive.

What Airlines fly out of Lake Tahoe?

Eight airlines fly out of the Reno-Tahoe airport with routes to destinations across the United States. 

Alaska Airlines, Delta Airlines, JetBlue Airways, JSX, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, American Airlines, and Spirit Airlines operate direct and connecting flights to the Reno-Tahoe airport.

There is also a small airport near South Lake Tahoe that does not have commercial flights.

What is the closest private airport to Lake Tahoe?

The closest private airport to Lake Tahoe is the South Lake Tahoe Airport, located just five minutes from many hotels and attractions.

The airport offers a full list of services ranging from fueling to car rentals, and they even have a restaurant with an amazing view.

The South Lake Tahoe Airport is exclusively used for private flights, with no commercial flights available.

Does Lake Tahoe have an airport?

Yes, Lake Tahoe is serviced by the Reno-Tahoe International Airport, which is located just 34 miles from the lake’s north shore.

Eight airlines offer direct and connecting routes from both domestic and international destinations.

Lake Tahoe also has a small private airport in South Lake Tahoe that does not offer commercial flights.

What airport do I fly into for Lake Tahoe?

The best and closest airport to fly into for Lake Tahoe is the Reno-Tahoe International Airport which is only a 45-minute drive from destinations on the north side of the lake.

The airport features direct and connecting flights from both domestic and international destinations, which are serviced by eight carriers, including Southwest, Delta, and United.

Another option for flights to Lake Tahoe is the Sacramento International Airport, which features more direct routes but is over two hours drive away.

Wrap-up: Airport near Lake Tahoe

If this is your first time visiting this epic alpine destination or you want to fly to save time, you will need to know what the closest airport to Lake Tahoe is.

The best and nearest airport to Lake Tahoe is Reno-Tahoe International airport which is literally just over the ridge from the lake and is an easy and beautiful drive or ride to the lake.

How you choose to get there is up to you. If you decide to fly into one of the farther-out airports in the region, you may save a few dollars and do a road trip to Lake Tahoe as part of your adventure.

You may even choose to make some stops along the way. Now book your tickets and get ready for an amazing trip to Lake Tahoe.

Heading to Lake Tahoe? Check out these articles:

• South Lake Tahoe Beaches
• Interesting Facts about Lake Tahoe
• Best Breweries in Lake Tahoe