Overview
Nellis is the Air Force's fight club. The U.S. Air Force Warfare Center, the 57th Wing (RED FLAG, Green Flag-West, the Weapons School, the Aggressors, and the Thunderbirds) and the 5,000-square-mile Nevada Test and Training Range all live here, with the 99th Air Base Wing keeping the lights on. Roughly 15,000 people work on base, and the exercise calendar means thousands more cycle through every year.
That churn is the whole story for TDY travelers: lodging fills, gates change hours, and Las Vegas Boulevard North backs up. It's also why a furnished house across town beats a Strip hotel with a resort fee. Forty-five miles up US-95, Creech AFB — home of the 432nd Wing's MQ-9 Reaper mission — has essentially no housing or lodging of its own, so its people live and stay in Las Vegas too. This guide covers both.
Weather
Mojave Desert: July averages 104°F with 110°F+ stretches, about four inches of rain a year, mild sunny winters with nights in the 30s, and gusty, dusty springs.
Best months
October–November, March–April
Tough months
June–September (ramp work is brutal)
Getting there
- Fly into Harry Reid International (LAS). Nellis is about 15 miles northeast — plan 30 minutes by car, 90+ by RTC bus. Rent a car; the base is spread out and Creech is a 45-mile drive.
- The Main Gate (Fitzgerald Blvd off Las Vegas Blvd N) is the reliable 24/7 entry. Beale Gate runs weekday commuter hours; the remaining gates keep peak-hour or exercise-dependent schedules — check nellis.af.mil/Resources/Base-Entry before you rely on one.
- Visitor Control Center: just outside the Main Gate at 5661 Fitzgerald Blvd, Bldg 696 (702-652-3216), weekday business hours only. Visitors 18+ without a CAC need a REAL ID; passes run up to 72 hours (30 days for family in base housing).
- Gate hours change on short notice during RED FLAG, Aviation Nation, and NASCAR weekends — the Main Gate has been closed to inbound traffic for speedway events. Follow the base's Facebook page the week you travel.
TDY lodging
On base
On-base rates · FY2027
$107–$147 per night · VOQ/VQ
October 1, 2026–September 30, 2027. The price depends on your stay dates. Confirm your authorized allowance before booking.
Nellis Inn
- Phone
- 702-652-2711
- Front desk
- 24/7
- Check-in / out
- 1500 / —
- Pets
- Limited pet-friendly units
- Nellis Inn (Air Force Inns), 5941 Fitzgerald Blvd, Bldg 556 — 702-652-2711, 24-hour desk, check-in 1500.
- VQ rooms, suites, and kitchen-equipped TLFs (some pet-friendly).
- Creech TDY personnel are lodged here too.
- RED FLAG and Weapons School surges fill it — book on af.dodlodging.net the moment orders drop and get the non-availability letter in writing if they can't take you.
Off-base per diem
- Confirm the current lodging allowance for your duty location and travel dates with the official rate lookup and your travel office.
- No current rate is quoted here.
- Alaska and Hawaii use DoD OCONUS rates.
- A published ceiling is not proof of reimbursement eligibility.
The crashpad option
Our Silver State House is a five-bedroom, five-bath home set up for crews and classes who want to stay together, priced inside the Clark County rate with DTS-ready receipts. It sits between the Nellis and Creech commutes — plan 20–30 minutes to the Nellis gate and about 45 up US-95 to Creech.
Nellis AFB crashpadsHousing & BAH
Housing
- On-base family housing is run by Hunt Military Communities (Nellis Family Housing): about 1,180 homes in five gated communities.
- The Military Housing Office (4601 Richard Kisling Dr, 702-652-1840) will review any off-base lease — use them, and insist on a military clause.
- Off base, metro rents in early 2026 ran roughly $1,370 (1BR) / $1,690 (2BR) / $2,260 (3BR); North Las Vegas is the value play, Henderson single-family homes run higher.
BAH 2026 · MHA NV212
| Grade | With dependents | Without dependents |
|---|---|---|
| E-5 | $2,070 | $1,737 |
| O-3 | $2,382 | $2,151 |
- 2026 BAH for MHA NV212 (Nellis/Las Vegas — the same MHA covers Creech): approximately $2,070 with dependents / $1,737 without for an E-5, and $2,382 / $2,151 for an O-3, per published 2026 tables.
- Rates fell about 1.9% from 2025, but members already on station keep the higher rate under rate protection.
- Confirm on the DTMO BAH calculator before you sign anything.
North Las Vegas / Aliante
Closest and most affordable; Aliante is a newer master-planned area with parks, trails, and a lot of military neighbors.
Centennial Hills / Skye Canyon / Providence
Newer HOA neighborhoods in the far northwest — the go-to for Creech commuters because US-95 north starts right there.
Henderson / Green Valley
Big, well-run suburb southeast of the valley with strong schools and shopping; you ride I-515/I-215 the whole way.
Summerlin
Upscale west side next to Red Rock Canyon with the county's top-rated schools; a cross-valley commute many families accept.
Sunrise Manor / East Las Vegas
Older, cheapest housing minutes from the Main Gate — do your homework block by block and drive it at night before renting.
Schools & childcare
- On base: Coral Academy of Science Las Vegas – Nellis Campus, a tuition-free public charter (K–8) with lottery enrollment and priority for active-duty families living on the installation.
- Off base: Clark County School District, the fifth-largest in the country. Base housing zones to Lowman or Manch Elementary, Findlay Middle, and Mojave High; CCSD's magnet, STEM, and IB programs have winter application windows.
- The School Liaison (Bldg 602, 702-652-2894) handles zoning questions and Military Interstate Compact issues — call before you enroll, not after.
- Childcare: two Child Development Centers on John Chapman Pkwy (702-652-4241), Family Child Care homes, and a Youth Center with before/after-school care. Get on MilitaryChildCare.com the day you have orders — infant spots take months.
Healthcare
- Mike O'Callaghan Military Medical Center (99th Medical Group), 4700 N Las Vegas Blvd — an 80-bed joint Air Force/VA hospital with an ER, inpatient beds, OB, surgery, most specialty clinics, and the only Level III trauma center in northeast Las Vegas.
- TDY personnel can use the ER; routine sick call goes through your assigned clinic. Flight medicine is sized for the aircrew-heavy population.
- Nevada is in the TRICARE West Region (TriWest, 888-874-9378, since January 2025) — update your PCM and DEERS address on arrival.
On base
- Commissary
4200 Mountain Home St — Mon–Sat 0800–1900, Sun 0800–1800, with Click2Go curbside pickup.
- Exchange
Main Exchange, 5871 Fitzgerald Blvd — food court (Charley's, Qdoba, Sarku), Express/gas, barber, Military Clothing.
- Fitness
Warrior Fitness Center, Bldg 1705 — 110,000+ sq ft, three courts, indoor track and pool, long hours for shift workers.
- Dining
Crosswinds DFAC (Bldg 790) is open to anyone with base access; Rickenbacker's at lodging; Club Nellis; dozens of restaurants along Craig Rd and Las Vegas Blvd N outside the gates.
- MWR
Sunrise Vista Golf Course (18 holes), Outdoor Rec gear and trips, ITT discount show tickets, Desert Eagle RV Park, bowling, base pool.
- Signature event
- Aviation Nation open house and air show, typically November — the Thunderbirds' home show.
- Park at the speedway and arrive early.
Off duty
Red Rock Canyon
Twenty miles west on Charleston Blvd: the 13-mile scenic loop, Calico Tanks, and Ice Box Canyon. Timed-entry reservations are required for the drive much of the year (recreation.gov), and in summer you start at dawn.
Official site ↗Photo by Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0) · source
Valley of Fire
An hour northeast via I-15 — the Aztec sandstone from every Nevada postcard. Fire Wave, White Domes, Mouse's Tank petroglyphs. Carry twice the water you think you need and skip midday from June through September.
Wikipedia ↗Photo by Murray Foubister, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0) · source
Mount Charleston & Lee Canyon
Forty minutes up US-95 (on the way to Creech), the Spring Mountains run 20–30 degrees cooler than the valley. A small ski hill in winter, lift-served mountain biking in summer, and Mary Jane Falls for a solid half-day hike.
Official site ↗Photo by Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0) · source
Lake Mead & Hoover Dam
Forty-five minutes southeast: Boulder Beach, kayaking Black Canyon below the dam, the Historic Railroad Trail. Boulder City is the small-town antidote to the Strip and the reliable visiting-parents outing.
Official site ↗Photo by Charles O'Rear, via Wikimedia Commons (Public domain) · source
Downtown & the Arts District
Skip the Strip crowds. Fremont Street's Container Park, then the Arts District along Main St for breweries, coffee, and vintage shops — fifteen minutes from the gate and far cheaper than resort row.
Wikipedia ↗Speedway & the dunes
Las Vegas Motor Speedway is literally across the boulevard from the base — NASCAR weekends, drag racing, driving experiences. The Nellis Dunes OHV area north of base draws dirt bikes and side-by-sides; Outdoor Rec rents the gear.
Insider tips
- 01Book the Nellis Inn the day you get orders. RED FLAG iterations, Weapons School classes, and Aviation Nation fill lodging; if they can't take you, get the non-availability letter in writing so your off-base stay is reimbursed.
- 02Summer heat is a safety issue, not an inconvenience: 110°F+ on the ramp, 150°F inside a parked car. Keep a case of water in the vehicle, sunshade every window, and never leave electronics or pets in a car.
- 03Las Vegas Blvd North between the speedway and the Main Gate jams from 0630–0800. From the north or west, Craig Rd to the Beale Gate or I-215 to the Landings gate is often faster.
- 04Per diem lodging ($126) does not survive a Strip resort fee. Look at North Las Vegas or Henderson hotels — or a crashpad — and confirm 'no resort fee' in writing.
- 05Nevada has no state income tax, but if you establish residency you have 30 days to get a Nevada license and registration. Las Vegas DMV appointments run weeks out — book online the day you arrive.
- 06PCSing with kids: MilitaryChildCare.com for the CDC waitlist and the Coral Academy application should both go in before you leave your current base. Both are lottery- or waitlist-driven.
- 07Creech crews: the US-95 drive after a 12-hour shift is the most dangerous part of the job. Carpool or use the Exit 93 park-and-ride vanpools, keep fuel above half (there is nothing between Centennial Hills and Indian Springs), and watch for wild horses and burros at dawn and dusk.
- 08Aviation Nation and NASCAR weekends gridlock I-15 Exit 54 and Las Vegas Blvd N. If you're TDY those weeks, plan your commute around it or plan to be on base early and stay late.
FAQ
Can I stay off base on a Nellis TDY and get reimbursed?
Where should I live if I'm assigned to Creech?
Is there a hospital on base?
Do I need a rental car on TDY?
Helpful resources
Official
Things to do
Community & local
List your resource
Run a business, park, church, gym, or service that helps Nellis AFB travelers and families? Have a correction? Email basecrashpads@gmail.com with the link and a sentence on why it's useful. We review every submission and list the ones that earn it.
Sources & disclaimer
- MilitaryINSTALLATIONS — Nellis AFB ↗
- MilitaryINSTALLATIONS — Creech AFB ↗
- Nellis Inn (Air Force Inns) ↗
- 99 FSS — Lodging & School Liaison ↗
- GSA per diem — Las Vegas FY2026 ↗
- DTMO BAH calculator ↗
- Nellis Family Housing (Hunt) ↗
- TRICARE West ↗
- 57th Wing ↗
Photos: Photo by Noah Wulf, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0); Photo by Doc Searls, via Flickr / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0). Full attribution on the photo credits page.
Rates, hours, and policies change — BAH resets every January and per diem every October. Confirm specifics with the official sources above and your orders. This guide is written by Base Crashpads and is not an official Air Force or DoD resource.