Private Jet to CES Las Vegas: Beat the Tech Crowd

The Event

CES (Consumer Electronics Show) is the world's most influential technology event, held annually in Las Vegas during the second week of January. The 2026 show occupied over 2.5 million square feet of exhibit space across the Las Vegas Convention Center, the Venetian Expo, and multiple satellite venues on the Strip and in the downtown area.

Attendance reaches approximately 130,000 — a mix of technology executives, startup founders, venture capitalists, product managers, media, and government officials. The show floor is only part of the event. Suites at the Wynn, Bellagio, and Venetian become meeting rooms. Restaurants become deal-closing venues. Every hour is scheduled, often in 30-minute blocks from 7 AM breakfasts to 11 PM dinners.

For technology leaders operating at this intensity, every minute of travel overhead is a meeting missed. A commercial flight from San Francisco to Las Vegas that involves an hour at SFO, a 1.5-hour flight, 45 minutes to deplane and collect luggage, and 30 minutes in a taxi represents nearly 4 hours of dead time. A private jet compresses this to under 2 hours, door to door.

Getting There by Private Jet

Las Vegas has excellent private aviation infrastructure, though CES week pushes it to capacity:

• Henderson Executive Airport (HND) — The preferred private jet airport for CES, 20 minutes from the Convention Center. Multiple FBOs (Signature Flight Support, Henderson Executive) handle CES surge traffic. Ramp space is limited and fills up days before the show opens.
• North Las Vegas Airport (VGT) — 25 minutes from the Convention Center. VGT handles overflow and is often the only option for late-booking travelers during CES week.
• Las Vegas Harry Reid International (LAS) — The main commercial airport has a private terminal (Atlantic Aviation, Signature) but CES-week commercial congestion makes taxi times unpredictable. Best for heavy and ultra-long-range jets that cannot use HND or VGT.

During CES, Henderson processes over 800 additional private jet movements compared to a typical January week. Ground transport from HND to the Convention Center or Strip hotels is straightforward, but ride-sharing surge pricing during CES can triple normal rates. Pre-arranged car service is strongly recommended.

What It Costs

The San Francisco / Bay Area to Las Vegas corridor is the dominant private jet route during CES. Pricing:

• Light jet from San Francisco Bay Area (SJC/OAK to HND, 1.5 hrs): $8,000 – $14,000 one-way
• Midsize jet from San Francisco: $12,000 – $20,000 one-way
• Light jet from Los Angeles (VNY to HND, 1 hr): $5,000 – $9,000 one-way
• Heavy jet from New York (TEB to HND, 4.5 hrs): $35,000 – $55,000 one-way
• Ultra-long-range from London or Asia: $80,000 – $160,000 one-way

The Bay Area to Las Vegas route produces significant empty leg opportunities. Many aircraft reposition to Las Vegas on Monday and return on Friday, creating one-way discounts of 30–50% for travelers whose schedules align with these repositioning flights.

Timing Your Flight

CES follows a predictable rhythm that enables strategic travel planning:

• Media days (Monday–Tuesday before the show) — Major brand announcements. Arrive Sunday evening if media access is part of your strategy.
• Show days (Tuesday–Friday) — The main exhibit hall opens Tuesday. The floor is busiest Wednesday and Thursday. By Friday, many exhibitors begin breaking down.
• Optimal arrival — Monday afternoon or Tuesday morning, depending on whether you attend press conferences.
• Optimal departure — Thursday evening or Friday morning. The show's energy peaks mid-week, and departing Thursday night allows you to avoid the Friday exodus while having completed three full floor days and four evenings of networking.

Wednesday evening is the most congested period in Las Vegas during CES — restaurants are impossible, taxis are scarce, and the Strip is gridlocked. Private aviation travelers gain a further advantage by being able to schedule a dinner meeting off-Strip and travel by pre-arranged car service.

VOLO's Event Charter Service

VOLO's event charter service manages a high volume of CES charter bookings annually. We pre-secure ramp positions at Henderson Executive weeks before the show and arrange dedicated ground transport that avoids CES surge pricing.

For venture capital firms and corporate delegations, we offer group charter packages that fly entire teams from the Bay Area on a single aircraft, with flexible return scheduling that accommodates the deal-driven nature of CES. Our empty leg marketplace is particularly active on the California–Vegas corridor during CES week — check our platform for discounted repositioning flights.

Submit your CES travel dates through our platform. We will recommend aircraft, quote pricing, and confirm Henderson ramp availability before you commit.