297 miles · Est. 4.4 hours · Avg $2.55/mile · Gross $757
Day-Trip Economics
Fuel Estimate
$110
Based on avg diesel price
Toll Estimate
$0
Varies by route and state
Net After Costs
$647
Before your other costs
Lane Overview
297
Miles
$2.55
Avg rate/mile
$757
Avg gross rate
moderate
Competition
Phoenix to Las Vegas on US-93 north through Kingman is a unique lane driven by the hospitality and gaming industry. Las Vegas consumes staggering quantities of food and beverage, casino equipment, and consumer goods — 40 million annual visitors create freight demand unlike any other city its size. At $2.45–$2.65/mile with no tolls, moderate difficulty reflects the lane's reliable but not exceptional rates.
US-93 through Wickenburg is a two-lane highway with limited passing zones — get behind an RV and you may lose 30 minutes. Alternatively, I-40 west to Kingman and US-93 north is slightly longer but faster with a divided highway. The Hoover Dam bypass bridge is a mandatory commercial vehicle route — no longer can trucks cross the dam itself. Las Vegas delivery timing matters: the Strip and Convention District have delivery windows — call ahead. Return loads Las Vegas to Phoenix (Lane 86) bring casino resupply and consumer goods southbound, making this a genuine two-way run.
Driver Tip
Short lane, fast turn. Margin on short runs is unforgiving. Use our Load Profitability Calculator to verify this load covers your costs before accepting.
What Moves on This Lane
Common Equipment
Return Freight
Las Vegas to Phoenix
297 miles · $2.50/mile avg
Similar Routes
Driver's Complete Guide
Las Vegas is a city that runs on freight. Forty million visitors a year means forty million people eating, sleeping, gambling, and consuming — and all of it has to be trucked in because Las Vegas produces almost nothing itself. Phoenix supplies a meaningful share of what the Strip needs, which makes this lane more reliable than the 297-mile distance would suggest. The demand spike around major conventions changes the economics dramatically, and every carrier who runs this lane regularly knows to watch the convention calendar before pricing their loads.
Food and beverage is the dominant freight category — restaurants, hotel buffets, and bars on the Strip consume enormous quantities, and the supply chain runs continuously. Casino supplies — gaming equipment, table felt, slot machine components — move on specialized carriers, but general casino supplies and hotel amenities move dry-van regularly. Consumer goods for the retail stores that line every major casino property flow north from Phoenix's distribution parks. During major conventions like CES in January, CONEXPO in March, or SEMA in November, freight demand spikes sharply and rates follow.
US-93 north from Phoenix through Wickenburg is the most direct route at roughly 290 miles. Wickenburg sits about 60 miles north of Phoenix and marks the point where the divided highway of I-10 transitions to the two-lane US-93 heading toward Kingman. The two-lane section through Wikieup and Congress is the operational reality of this route — slow traffic, limited passing zones, and RV convoys heading for Lake Havasu that will test your patience. The I-40 alternative — heading west from Phoenix on I-10, then I-40 west to Kingman, then US-93 north — adds about 20 miles but uses divided highway most of the way and is generally faster despite the extra distance. Once you're at Hoover Dam, the Mike O'Callaghan–Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge is mandatory for commercial vehicles — the dam road itself has been closed to trucks for years. US-93 north from the bridge into Henderson and then I-215 west into Las Vegas proper.
At $2.45–$2.65/mile with zero tolls, this lane's net rate is genuinely clean. Convention timing is the most powerful rate lever. CES in January and CONEXPO in odd years pull rates $0.20–$0.30/mile above normal. Pre-book loads going into convention weeks — brokers who aren't watching the calendar will undercharge, but savvy carriers know to hold out. Normal week rates are reliable without being exceptional.
The return is where this lane reveals its weakness. Las Vegas doesn't manufacture or distribute — it consumes. Return loads from Vegas to Phoenix are thinner and typically run $2.20–$2.40/mile. Casino resupply items, hospitality laundry, and recycled materials are the main return freight categories. Pre-booking a return before your inbound delivery is essential — don't land in Las Vegas on a Thursday expecting the load board to cooperate.
When is the worst time to run into Las Vegas for a delivery?
Convention move-in days — usually the Sunday and Monday before a major show opens — create complete gridlock in the Convention Center area and the back-of-house delivery zones for the major casino hotels. Call your receiver for dock appointment timing at least 48 hours out if delivering during a convention week.
Is the US-93 two-lane section through Wikieup passable for all trailer sizes?
Yes, it's open to standard 53-foot trailers and double-trailer configurations where permitted. The limitation is speed and traffic, not clearance. If you're pulling an oversized load, consult the AZ DOT permit office for routing — some oversized loads are required to use I-40 instead.
How do CES freight rates compare to a normal January week in Vegas?
CES is held in early January, which would otherwise be a slow post-holiday freight week. Convention demand flips the market — rates run $2.70–$2.90/mile inbound during CES setup week, sometimes higher for time-critical convention supplies. If you're in Phoenix in early January without a Vegas load, you're leaving money on the table.
Dispatch Service
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