McCarran International Airport is now the fifth-busiest airport in the United States and, unlike almost every other major airport, is just a couple miles from the main tourist corridor -- The Strip. There are direct flights to McCarran International Airport from most major U.S. cities as well as from South Korea, England, Mexico and Germany. Some important information and advice about McCarran:

Taxis -- Prepare to wait in a monster line at McCarran for a cab, which will run $10-$15 to Strip hotels and $20 to downtown Las Vegas. While cabs are plentiful on the Strip, they are scarce if you go to most off Strip attractions. For travelers planning to explore, it’s probably wiser to rent a car.

Car Rentals -- Ten car rental companies operate at or around McCarran, including Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Dollar, Hertz, Alamo/National, Payless, Savmor, Thrifty and US Rent-A-Car. See the McCarran International Airport website for a list with contact information. While base rates can be inexpensive depending on the season, there is a 23 percent tax on airport car rentals in Clark County. To avoid about half of that levy, find out if your hotel also has car rentals on the property and take a cab there.

Limousines -- Limo drivers technically are not permitted to solicit riders, but they still line up at McCarran hoping folks trying to skip the cab line will hire them. The ride can cost $35-$50 to the Strip -- a 15-minute ride on a bad day -- and riders must initiate the service.

Shuttles -- At about $5 one-way, vans and minibuses are a smart, quicker alternative to cabs, even though you end up stopping at other hotels to let others out along the way. See the McCarran Airport website for a list of options.

Business Services -- Travelex, located in both terminals, offers currency exchange, notary service, fax service and photocopies. A U.S. Post Office, open Monday through Friday, is located on the second level of the main terminal, with UPS and FedEx drop boxes just outside. For last-minute touch-ups or e-mails, Internet kiosks and shoeshine service are available in the C- and D-Gate rotundas.

Fitness Center -- McCarran International Airport is one of the only airports in the world to boast a 24-hour gym, a 24 Hour Fitness.

Las Vegas Monorail -- It’s a four-mile track that starts at the MGM Grand Hotel-Casino and ends at the Sahara Hotel-Casino with five stops including those two, in between. Tickets cost $5 one way or $15 for an all-day pass. The Las Vegas Monorail system opens at 7 a.m. daily and halts at 2 a.m. Monday-Thursday, 3 a.m. Friday-Sunday. The Citizens Area Transit (CAT) bus 108 stops at the Sahara monorail depot for those wishing to take it to downtown Las Vegas. Passengers must pay fares on both transit services, however.

Deuce Bus -- It’s a comfortable double-decker public bus that rolls up and down The Strip 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for $2 a ride. See the Deuce Bus website for more information.

Taxis and rental cars -- They’re the most common means of getting around. Free parking is plentiful at almost every Strip casino-hotel. Downtown hotels often charge for parking.

Photo: Las Vegas Monorail