Flights
11 Tips For Scoring The Best Las Vegas Flight Deals
Las Vegas is one of America’s most popular destinations thanks to its world-class gambling, year-round sun, spectacular entertainment, and incredible nightlife. But all that fun comes with a hefty price tag. So if you’re looking to get the most out of your vacation budget, check out Travel Gay Vegas’s top tips for scoring Las Vegas flight deals.
Read on to learn how you could save $300 or more on next your plane tickets to Las Vegas.
General Tips For Saving Money On Flights
Even though this article is about finding Las Vegas flight deals, there are some general money-saving tips you can take advantage of, regardless of your destination. Used together with our Vegas-specific tips, you could end up saving even more.
1. Activate Incognito Mode On Your Browser
Activating your browser’s incognito mode is the best way to avoid annoying price hikes.
Have you ever searched for a flight a few times and noticed the price went up? You’re not imagining things. Every time you search for a flight, your browser saves the information as cookies. When you search for the same route multiple times, the site recognizes your cookies and increases the price. The goal is to motivate you into booking before prices get even higher.
Luckily there’s a way to avoid these pesky price hikes. When searching for flights, always use incognito browsing mode. This mode resets your cookies every time you open a new window. As a result, your browser doesn’t remember your previous searches and prices stay stable.
To activate incognito mode in Google Chrome or Safari, hit Command (or Control if using a PC), Shift, “N.”
2. Use Better Flight Search Engines
Not all flight search engines are created equally. Knowing which ones to use could save you tons of money.
All search engines inflate flight costs in an effort to recuperate the cut airlines take from them. But not every engine takes the same amount.
Some search engines, like Expedia, consistently inflate their prices much higher than their competitors. So if you’re serious about finding Las Vegas flight deals, it’s a good idea to know which sites have the lowest prices.
Just keep in mind that no single search engine will consistently give you the cheapest rates. As a result, you may need to try several search engines before finding the best price.
With that in mind, we recommend checking out sites like:
3. Fly For Free With Credit Card Points
Using a travel credit card for daily purchases can help you pay for future flights.
Obviously the best flight is a free flight. And the best way to fly for free is by using credit card points. If you don’t have any yet, don’t worry! Signing up for a travel rewards credit card usually comes with major bonus points if you meet the minimum spending requirements. In many cases, this sign-on bonus is enough to score a free flight.
The card you choose will depend on your travel and spending habits and there’s something for everyone. For example, you can sign up for an airline rewards card that gives you points on a particular airline, or you can get a more general travel rewards card that allows you to redeem points on a variety of airlines.
If you’re new to this “point-hacking,” we recommend the Chase Sapphire Preferred card. Not only do you get double points on dining, travel, and groceries, but you also earn 60,000 points if you spend $4000 within the first three months of opening your account. That’s an automatic $750 towards your trip to Vegas—more than enough for roundtrip airfare.
4. Search For Error And Sale Fares
Finding an error fare could mean paying almost nothing for your next flight.
Sometimes airlines make mistakes when posting fares. And their mistake could be your lucky day. These mistakes can happen for many reasons—currency conversion mishaps, technical glitches, or human error. Knowing how and where to find these fares could mean saving hundreds on your next ticket to Las Vegas.
Scott’s Cheap Flights is the best place to track and buy fare error tickets. Their team scours the internet for incredible flight deals daily. All you have to do is make an account, enter your departure airport, and you’ll start getting flight deals sent right to your inbox.
Las Vegas-Specific Flight Deals
Now that you know the basics for saving big on flights, let’s go over some tips to help you score Las Vegas flight deals.
5. Fly Out Of Smaller Airports
Small airports often have cheaper flights, better deals on parking, and are less congested.
If you’re looking to save money on your flight to Vegas, it’s worth checking out ticket prices at smaller airports. For example, instead of flying out of LAX, check out prices from Burbank or Ontario.
But cheaper ticket prices aren’t the only advantage. Smaller airports will have cheaper parking and are usually less congested. That means more savings and less stress.
6. Keep An Eye On The Convention Calendar
Avoid booking a trip to Las Vegas when the big conferences are in town.
Thanks to its state-of-the-art exhibition centers, world-class dining, and easy-to-access entertainment, Vegas frequently ranks on top 5 lists for the best convention cities in the United States. That’s good news for convention goers, but something to avoid as a tourist.
While you probably won’t be able to avoid conventions entirely (there are usually conventions scheduled every week), you can avoid the most expensive ticket prices by booking your trip around major conventions.
7. Book Your Flights Ahead Of Time
Some advanced planning could help you score a better flight deal.
This sounds like a no-brainer, but booking your flights at the right time can mean some major savings on your ticket. While some sites say booking 14 days in advance yields the cheapest prices, others recommend buying a month in advance.
While there isn’t a clear answer as to when tickets are the cheapest, it’s best to stay within this window. It’s also worth noting that there isn’t much of a benefit to booking more than a month in advance. So plan well, but not too well.
8. Book A Flight And Hotel Vacation Package
Booking your flight and hotel together could help you get a better deal on both.
Bundling your flight and hotel together can save you some serious cash. Check out Southwest Vacations, Air Canada Vacations, WestJet Vacations, and Vegas.com to see all the Vegas deals you can find.
9. Know The Cheapest Day To Buy A Ticket
Even the day you book has an impact on how much your ticket costs.
In addition to booking ahead of time, knowing which day of the week to buy your ticket might help you save a bit of money. Airlines usually start sales on Mondays and others counter with lower rates on Tuesdays. That’s why we recommend booking on Tuesday afternoon for the lowest prices and the best selection.
It’s not the end of the world if you can’t book on Tuesday, but definitely avoid booking on Saturday. This is the most expensive day of the week to purchase tickets.
10. Learn The Cheapest Days To Fly
Flying on less popular days is one of the best ways to get a deal on your Las Vegas tickets.
If your plans are flexible, choosing certain days to fly in and out of Las Vegas could mean major savings. Most travelers arrive on Friday and depart on Sunday, so you’ll find cheaper rates (up to $76 cheaper!) if you arrive on Saturday. In terms of your return trip, returning on a Tuesday could save you up to $54.
11. Visit During Slower Seasons
Choosing slower times to visit means more cash in your pocket.
Ticket prices to Las Vegas vary seasonally. That’s why knowing which months are cheapest will help you find Las Vegas flight deals.
Avoid the most expensive months (February, March, and June) and instead opt for flights in January, August, or October. Booking during slower months could save you up to $25.
Don’t Miss Out On The Best Las Vegas Flight Deals
Now that you’re an expert on finding the best flight deals, it’s time to start planning your next trip to Las Vegas. Check out this article to see how you can save money on food and accommodations or this one about upcoming developments in Sin City.
