If you’re reading this blog, you’re probably planning a trip to Las Vegas soon. For most of America, the recent pandemic has thrown some major curve balls to our finances. Luckily for you, Las Vegas was hit pretty hard and the casinos and entertainment industry is doing everything they can to bring more tourists to Las Vegas. What does that mean for you? Traveling to Las Vegas is cheaper and more lucrative than it has been in the last 12 months. 

‍

‍

Here are some ways that you can travel to Las Vegas on a budget:

Visit Las Vegas on a Weekday

The weekends are when Las Vegas thrives. The weekdays on the other hand, not so much. The hotels and casinos are offering much cheaper rates on the weekdays. If you can travel on a weekday and don’t have any other commitments, visiting Las Vegas on a Monday through Thursday might save you quite a bit of money on hotel and airfare.

Fly on a Budget Airline

Check out the prices on a budget airline like Spirit, Allegiant, or Frontier airlines. They’re offering cheap flights to Las Vegas right now and the experience might be better than before due to the airlines not being able to fill the entire airplane due to a reduction in demand. If you haven't read our guide to Airports in Las Vegas, check it out because you'll be an expert on traveling in and out of Las Vegas after reading it.

If you’re on the west coast or near a southwest hub, look to see how much they’re charging for flights. You won’t be able to see their rates via a travel aggregator like priceline or Google flights, so you’ll need to check their website. If you book with them, be sure to do so more than two weeks in advance so you can take advantage of their “Want to Get Away” prices.

‍

Avoid Gambling

Yeah, I know. Who travels to Las Vegas and doesn’t gamble? A lot of people actually. I’ve lived here for years and I can tell you that I’ve never gambled more than $100. I don’t get a rush about it and I’m still thinking about the $50 I lost in blackjack at the Wynn in 2017. If you can save a few dollars by not gambling, you can use that money to eat better meals or go on a day trip to Red Rock or the Hoover Dam. 

Rent a Car

Rental car prices are cheap right now. You can rent a car for around 30-50 a day. Depending on how long you stay and how many people you’re traveling with, this could be a significant cost savings compared to taking Ubers or Taxis. Parking is free at pretty much every casino right now, so you don’t have to worry about the pesky parking fees. Also on the Uber/Lyft note, there is a shortage in drivers so wait times right now are crazy. You could be waiting 10-30 minutes before getting picked up by your driver. 

Buy Your Own Booze

When you get to Las Vegas, stop by a liquor store, grocery store, or wherever they sell beer, wine, and booze. The governor shut down the bars, so the only way to order drinks is via gambling or while eating. It’s a pain to order a drink now (and expensive). Las Vegas doesn’t have open container laws on the strip, so you can walk down the street with beers that you purchased at CVS or Smith’s. This will save you quite a bit of money if you came here to drink and booze.

‍

Traveling to Las Vegas FAQ

What is the cheapest time to go to Vegas?

Finding a cheap flight to Las Vegas is usually fairly easy to find. However, the cheapest time to travel to Las Vegas is usually in the months of January, August, and October. In January flights to Las Vegas tend to be 15 percent cheaper than they are the rest of the year. One of the benefits of flying to Las Vegas in January is you can enjoy outdoors attractions without dealing with the brutal heat.

‍

How far in advance should I book my trip to Las Vegas?

The best time to book your trip to Las Vegas is about 14 days in advance. Those travelers looking for the best deals will want to book their flights to Las Vegas at least 14 days in advance because prices rise dramatically within two weeks of departure.

‍

What is the cheapest day to fly to Las Vegas?

On average, Sunday is the cheapest day to fly to Las Vegas. As most travelers fly into Las Vegas on Thursday and Friday, you will score a significant cost savings by going against the grain and travel to Las Vegas on a Sunday.

‍

Conclusion

If you were affected by the pandemic, but still want to travel or do something this summer, Las Vegas is still a safe, fun, and affordable option. If you use our guide, and do some planning, you can have a great time in Las Vegas on a budget. We’ll have more information for you throughout the summer, so keep checking back. If you want the LV Plug to notify you of any changes, enter your email address into the little bar below and you’ll get our weekly LV Plug Report delivered to your inbox every Friday.