If you’re a lifelong lover of all things Vegas like we are, you’ve witnessed the gradual transition of Sin City from budget-friendly paradise to high-class tourist destination.
Time was, casino resorts would offer low cost rooms, cheap meals, and free activities to attract visitors into the casino and entice them to gamble—the real moneymaker for these establishments. But as table games and slot machines started to lose popularity, Vegas bigwigs sought to win back some of that money by increasing room rates (and adding resort fees), cutting cheap buffets, and introducing new policies like dynamic pricing. There’s no doubt about it—visiting Vegas is a lot more expensive than it used to be.
But that doesn’t mean you can’t find deals on hotel stays, meals, and more to keep your trip on budget! (Or just free up some cash for better show tickets or that fancy 5-star meal you’ve been salivating over.)
In this post, we’ll share our insider tips for how to get deals in Vegas, from hotel stay discounts to show tickets and cheap meals. Let’s get rolling.
The Rising Costs of Visiting Las Vegas: Navigating the Price Surge
If you’re planning a visit to Las Vegas in 2024, the price increases will start the second you arrive—taxis from the airport to Strip hotels charge a flat rate based on your hotel, and these flat rates recently jumped $2 per fare.
If you’re traveling by taxi within Vegas, base fares have increased 50%—rising from $3.50 to $5.25 per fare starting in 2023. Per mile rates also increased by $0.20. That means a trip from the Luxor, near the South end of the Strip, to Fremont Street (about 6.5 miles) will run you about $25 (plus tip) in 2024 instead of $21.50.
The average daily room rate is climbing too, reaching record levels in 2023. According to CDC Gaming Reports, the gambling industry’s leading news source, daily room rates on the Strip averaged out at $204 in 2023—a 12.3% increase from $182 in 2022.
And of course, resort fees are on the upswing as well. MGM properties (including the Bellagio, MGM Grand, Vdara, Mandalay Bay, Luxor, and more) recently jacked their resort fees by $2-6 per night. They now range between $37 and $50 per night on top of the base room rate.
CANYON TOURS TIP: Resort fees are waived for MGM Rewards members at the Gold, Platinum, and NOIR levels. If you visit Vegas often or like to gamble, take advantage of these rewards to help keep your costs lower.
How To Get Deals in Las Vegas on Hotels, Shows, and Food
So, what can you do to help keep your costs low? There are tons of discount sites that offer cheap tickets and hotel rates, but in most cases, it’s better to book directly with the provider than it is through a third-party site.
CANYON TOURS TIP: If you find a good deal on a third-party site, call the provider to see if they can give you that rate directly. There’s a good chance they will to avoid paying any fees to that third-party provider.
Let’s take a closer look at how to get deals in Vegas, including hotels, shows, and eats.
How To Get Deals in Vegas: Hotels
$10-15 per night stays may be a relic of Vegas past, but you can still score some sweet deals on hotel stays if you know where and when to look. Here are our best tips for how to get Vegas deals on hotel stays:
- Book your stay during the off-season, avoiding busy tourism periods like NYE and other holidays, major sporting or entertainment events like music festivals, and mega conferences like CES (unless you’re here for the event—in which case, you’re not likely to find a hotel deal). If you can, plan your visit during the week instead of over the weekend—room rates are typically much cheaper midweek (and flights are too).
- Book directly through the hotel, not through a third-party provider like booking.com. The rates should be the same, but some hotels will offer upgrades or comps to people who booked directly before they offer them to those who booked on a third-party site. If your hotel of choice offers a refundable rate, book early and keep an eye on room rates ahead of your trip. If they drop, you can ask for a price reduction (or cancel your stay and rebook at the lower rate).
- Get a Rewards card. All the big resort companies offer some kind of player rewards club, and they always include discounts. You’ll get the best deals if you gamble or visit regularly, but you don’t have to gamble to take advantage of these perks.
- Consider staying off the Strip. Off-Strip hotels are usually cheaper, and if you don’t like crowds or are using Vegas as a base to explore the surrounding desert, you’ll be better off avoiding the mayhem.
- Try the $20 trick (or $40 in 2024). Some frequent Vegas visitors suggest that you slip a $20 bill or two between your ID and your credit card when you check in, and ask if there is anything they can do to make your stay more memorable. Some believe that this will make the front desk staff more likely to slip you an upgrade in return, such as a better room view, waived resort fees, or even early check-in. Others claim this tip doesn’t get results, so employ it at your discretion.
- Sign up for hotel mailing lists well in advance. They’ll shoot you emails with promos and deals.
You can also keep an eye on travel deal curators like Travelzoo. We always recommend booking directly, but sometimes these deals are too good to pass up.
How To Get Deals in Vegas: Shows
Vegas has become a mecca for A-list shows and residencies, from U2’s opening of the Sphere to Adele’s residency at Caesars Palace (scheduled to end in November 2024), and many more. Tickets can easily creep up into the hundreds (and in some cases the thousands), so what can you do to get deals on Vegas shows? Here are our best tips:
- Milk those player rewards cards. The same reward programs that get you hotel deals can also get you ticket deals, including discounts and even presale invites to score seats before tickets go on sale to the general public.
- Grab a coupon book. The “What’s Happening” guides at the airport and in hotel lobbies always include coupons, and you may find some for shows, as well as reduced rate meals. Las Vegas Advisor is another monthly subscription based coupon book you can try.
- Try a ticket kiosk for discounted same-day tickets. You may not have your first pick of shows or seats, but you won’t pay through the nose. Tix4Vegas.com is the most popular kiosk, with four locations on the Strip: Showcase Mall south of the giant Coke bottle, Casino Royale next to Harrah’s facing the Hard Rock, Grand Bazaar Shops at Horseshoe, and Circus Circus on the 2nd level promenade across from Adventuredome. If you’d prefer to plan ahead, you can search online and select specific shows, or just view all deals if you aren’t picky.
- Look into seat-filling services, especially if you visit often. These services require a membership, but you can score free show tickets when they’re available. Check out House Seats or Fillaseat if you’re curious to learn more.
- Try using a Vegas-based booking service like Vegas.com or Lavish Vegas—they’ll help you find the cheapest tickets for your preferred show. Lavish Vegas provides a side-by-side comparison to help you find the most affordable options, and you can filter by type of show (if you really want to see Cirque du Soleil, for example), and by date so you can check show prices for your entire visit.
- Play some (free) virtual slots on the myvegas.com app. The app is completely free, and many users report scoring free or BOGO show tickets, free food, and even free room nights just for playing.
- Check Groupon. Shows will offer cheap tickets when they need to fill seats.
CANYON TOURS TIP: If you see a deal on Groupon or spot a lower ticket price on Vegas.com or Lavish Vegas, try reaching out to the box office directly to see if they’ll match or even beat the price. There’s a good chance you’ll get lucky—often, they’d rather you spend money directly with them than through a third party who will take a cut.
How To Get Deals in Vegas: Food
You may not be able to find a $2 buffet or $1 steak in 2024, but you can still score some deals on food, snacks, and drinks. Here’s how:
- Skip the hotel stores, especially if they use dynamic pricing. Instead, get your in-room snacks and bevvies at other shops like Walgreens or CVS, then fill your to-go cups in your room instead of buying drinks at the bar. Bonus tip: If you need cash, debit your purchase and get cash back instead of hitting an ATM. That way, you can avoid the sky-high ATM fees most hotel ATMs will charge.
- If you do buy within the hotel, charge everything to your room. That way you can rack up points on your players reward card that you can potentially trade in for discounts and other perks.
- If you’re craving that classic Vegas buffet experience, keep an eye on the time. If you can slip in right at the end of the lunch service, just before they switch to dinner, you can score your dinner for lunch prices. (The same theory applies to the breakfast and lunch switchover too.)
- Look for happy hours around the city. Many restaurants and bars will offer great happy hour deals such as BOGO drinks, half price food, and more.
We scoured Reddit for Vegas deals and budget-saving tips. Here are the best (unverified) deals on food and drinks we dug up:
- Check out Casino Royale for $3.49 Coronas
- Stage Door offers $2 Coronas or $1 Coors or Bud
- Get an affordable breakfast at Greenberg’s Deli at New York New York—Redditors report paying just $8.99 for a sandwich or breakfast burrito with hot tea or coffee
- Ocean One at the Miracle Mile Shops is considered by many to be one of the most affordable spots on the Strip. One Redditor reports that drinks are 3 for $12, and at lunch, every food item is $6 per plate.
Wrapping Up
While the days of snagging $10 rooms and feasting at $2 buffets may have passed, there are still plenty of ways to experience the excitement of Sin City without breaking the bank. As the city evolves into a more upscale destination, navigating the landscape of deals requires a bit of insider knowledge and strategic planning.
From securing discounted hotel stays to finding budget-friendly show tickets and dining options, we’ve shared a handful of easy strategies anyone can use to make the most of their Vegas experience. Whether it’s booking directly with hotels for potential upgrades, leveraging player rewards programs, or exploring alternative ticket sources, there are ample opportunities to save on accommodations and entertainment.
So go ahead, roll the dice, and discover the thrills of Las Vegas without emptying your wallet!
