Once upon a time, Las Vegas was a low-cost, cheap destination with cheap rooms, cheap food, and cheap entertainment. All that changed when the mega resorts which rolled into town throughout the years made the idea of an inexpensive trip to Sin City fly out of the window. But if you think that there are no more values to be found on The Strip, we challenge you to reconsider, especially after going through this post. You will soon realize that there are economical ways to get there, sleep, eat, drink, and entertain yourself almost the way VIPs do!

Getting to Las Vegas Inexpensively

You have two options (1) drive or (2) fly there. Many people choose to drive to Las Vegas after comparing the cost of gas against the cost of an airline ticket. What they don’t consider is the drive home, which, without a doubt, has nothing in common with the fun and enthusiasm of the trek to Vegas. To avoid the brutal return, it is much better to fly to Las Vegas. Make sure you buy your plane ticket in advance; it will cost you less than if you wait until the last minute to get one. Planning ahead in general will give you enough time to book a cheap vacation (every aspect of it).

Tips:

  • Consider using smaller local airports – Before you book a fare, always check the airline websites (see table below). A majority of airlines is working towards cutting corners. For that reason, and as a means to save on commissions, they offer flights at better prices than discounters. Plus, regional airports charge much less for parking.
  • Arrive on a Sunday – Although flight prices are slightly lower on Saturdays than other days of the week, we can’t say the same for accommodation. Saturday nights in Sin City’s hotels are ridiculously overpriced. To get a good deal on both accommodation and flight, arrive on a Sunday.
  • Book as a package – There are significant savings when you book both your hotel room and flight as a package (see, for example, Air Canada Vacations, Southwest Vacations, and WestJet Vacations).
  • Use tools – Don’t book the first affordable thing you see. Instead, as mentioned above, search for a vacation package using tools like Travelocity, which will help you track terrific deals that fit your bill perfectly. This does not only include flight deals but also hotel rooms and cars, among others. Rome2Rio is another excellent tool you could use that will let you see all of the available transportation options for Las Vegas. Just type in the name of the desired destination, and you will see everything from the best availabilities for buses, trains, and flights to driving options and ferry!
  • Consider Costco for Car Rentals – Although Costco is not the first online agency that comes to mind when planning vacations, they do consistently offer lower rates than other big players. Check out their low price finder to be provided with an impressive array of discounts, codes, and coupons that you may use to catch the desired rental car. If you are a member, you can also get your driver fee waived. This applies to rentals made with Budget and Avis. Other agencies that also offer deep discounts include Hotwire, Priceline and com.

Airlines That Fly to Las Vegas

Aeromexico.com  Air Canada Airlines  Air North Airlines
 Air Transat  AirTran Airlines Alaska Air Airlines
 Allegiant Air  America West  American Airlines
 Bel Air Airlines  BMI Airlines  Condor Airlines
Continental Airlines Delta Airlines  Frontier Airlines
 Harmony Airways  Hawaiian Airlines  Jet Blue Airlines
 Korean Air Airlines  Max Jet Airlines  Mexicana Airlines
 Miami Air  Mid West Express Airlines  Omni Air
 Philippine Airlines  Ryan International Airlines  Sky Service Airlines
 Song Airlines  Southwest Airlines  Spirit Air Airlines
 Sun Country Air  Ted Airlines  United Airlines
 U.S. Airways  Virgin Atlantic Airlines  West Jet Airlines

Staying in Las Vegas at a Fraction of the Cost

If you are looking to hit several destinations during a single trip to Las Vegas, then search for secret hotel rooms – you know, the ones that are offered on a discounted price (as high as 40%), so the room is always occupied. Bear in mind, though, that there is a catch: You don’t know where you will be staying until after you make the reservation. To get a glimpse of the available Las Vegas secret hotel rooms, you may use sites like lastminute.com,  SuperBreak, and laterooms.com (also Hotwire and Priceline mentioned above). To make sure you are indeed offered a secret hotel bargain, always benchmark typical hotel prices using TripAdvisor, Trivago, TravelSupermarket or another comparison site.

Tips:

  • Use last-minute deal apps – Snagging hotel rooms at a steal is totally doable. All you need to do is make last-minute bookings. Although this contrasts with the tip to plan ahead, it is a great one for those that tend to leave things for the last minute! Apps like Hotel Tonight and One Night have been specially created to help you search nearby hotels and book same-day rooms for chic hotels all around the world (Las Vegas included, of course). Besides that, Hotel Tonight also allows you to upgrade your room category and get an additional discount of more than 50% on the upgrade!
  • Find hotels on the road – If you are okay with staying at a hotel near Las Vegas but not in the very heart of all action, you can download Priceline’s app (for both Android and iOS users) and get real-time details on deals and discounts of hotels along your route. Now, if you don’t fancy that idea and want to be within walking distance from one casino to another and have access to everything without walking miles or having to change 3 buses, then the center of The Strip is where you need to be. Some of the hotels with the lower room rates (consistently) are Flamingo, The Linq Hotel, Bally’s, and Harrah’s (run them through Trivago or another comparison site as suggested before).
  • Save on parking fees – If the hotel you are staying has a pricey parking fee, apps like SpotHero will help you find alternative parking areas close by that come significantly cheaper. Searching for alternative parking locations can save you up to 50% in parking fees!
  • Come stay mid-week – Sin City on the weekend is absurdly expensive, and everything from accommodation to table limits is sky high. Visit it in the middle of the week, say a Tuesday night, and the scenario is entirely the opposite. The key to cheap accommodation is information. The more you have, the better deals you can come across and the more money you can save to spend elsewhere.
  • Join slot clubs – Properties like the Harrah’s and MGM Mirage have slot clubs (i.e. the Total Rewards Club or the Player’s Club) which offer their members awesome promos that can drastically reduce the cost of your vacation. Worth joining!

Drinking in Vegas on a Dime

Coming to the Strip and not drinking is nearly impossible. Of course, you will need to face the effects of behaviors related to too much drinking afterwards. Not to mention that you can easily go broke buyinh drinks in Vegas if your mind is not on saving as much as possible on alcohol. Best piece of advice? Avoid the clubs. Drinks are preposterously pricey there. The bars in Las Vegas, on the other hand, have drink specials. As for the fun level, it can even be higher than that of the clubs.

According to travelers’ reviews published on thr FourSquare website, some of the bars close to the Strip, where you can find some great, multi-leveled entertainment and cheap drinks (and some food too) are:

And, don’t forget the free drinks you can have in Vegas casinos. Most of them will serve you cocktails for as long as you gamble. Get yourself to a nickel slot, and enjoy the rest of the night with your glass always full!

Eating in Vegas

You won’t be able to eat super small overpriced filets or Foie Gras in Vegas if you are going cheap, but this doesn’t mean that you can’t eat well. So, leave the fine dining options and try restaurants that can please your palate and satisfy your hunger for just under $25, like the House of Blues and Burger Bar (both at Mandalay Place), along with Tacos & Tequila (Mexican cuisine), Bucca di Beppo (Italian food),  Gonzales Y Gonzales (New York Las Vegas Hotel), Bacio, The Cheesecake Factory, and more.

Another option is to hit a buffet. However, good buffets do tend to be just as pricey as a good meal. It is much better to try an affordable restaurant unless you are planning on munching on some extra pieces of chicken wings late at night and just skip meals.

Let’s not forget food courts. Almost all of the hotels in Las Vegas have food courts where food is offered at relatively lower prices (anything from hot dogs and pizza to full tours of cultural cuisine). Or, you could even consider eating with a local. Eatwith is a social dining tool that connects travellers with local chefs (from home cooks to pro chefs) around the world. Expect a meal well prepared and served right in their home!

Having Fun in Vegas for Free (or Almost!)

Although it is quite challenging to do it cheap in Las Vegas given the number of entertainment options available, it is not unlikely to find a concert without having to stretch your budget too much. Try Tix 4 Tonight for half-priced show tickets or head towards the Showcase Mall (near MGM Grand), Hawaiian Marketplace (close to Polo Towers) or Fashion Show Mall (nor far from Neiman Marcus) for free entertainment. Resist the temptation to buy souvenirs and you will be alright.

Sometimes, all it takes to have the best time of your life while visiting a city like Las Vegas is to simply see the city itself with the hordes of tourists coming from all corners of the earth for a taste of the fun and entertainment Sin City knows well how to provide. And, if you want to enjoy everything it has to offer, there are more than enough ways to do so without blowing all of your money and allowing you to afford the trip back home.[vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”42px”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row layout=”boxed” content_placement=”middle” css=”.vc_custom_1525381420925{padding-top: 5% !important;padding-bottom: 5% !important;background-color: #a6c60b !important;}”][vc_column][vc_row_inner layout=”boxed” content_placement=”middle” css=”.vc_custom_1525381408013{padding-bottom: 2% !important;background-color: #a6c60b !important;}”][vc_column_inner][vc_column_text]

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