Are there cheap flights to Las Vegas anymore?

I have a chance to stay in a Las Vegas resort through one of those "listen to our presentation" deals. We do these things often enough, and with sufficient due diligence, to get value back in return for a couple of hours of our time. We never take the bait, since we're already pretty well invested in vacation-ware, and we're up front enough with the salesmen as soon as we walk in that we either get let out early or get to laugh at them when they go all bad-cop good-cop with us. We've signed up for these things outside of restaurants, in airports, and lots of times over the phone. If we don't get what we thought we would, it adds to our knowledge for the next time.

I thought that it would be fairly easy, and inexpensive, to find airline connections from Boston/Harford/Providence to Las Vegas. I recall junket flights that I had heard about but never booked, for ~ $99. Years ago I flew for free on a few occasions, Boston/Providence -> Atlantic City.

This is not working out as I hoped. The cheapest flight we can find are ~ $170 one-way, Providence to Las Vegas. That's $700 plus for two people. That's not worth it for what was supposed to be a quickie trip with essentially "free" lodging.

We'd be willing to listen to other guys trying to sell us stuff, or bring cash to a casino cage - so long as we could get it all back out in chips which we could then put half on red and the other half on black at a roulette table, or in some other way surrepticiously launder so that we came out essentially even - so long as they would do something about the airfare. My guess is that this is not how it's done for us steerage-class gamblers, but hey - can't hurt to ask.

What's the cheapest way to get to Las Vegas that does not involve a Greyhound bus?

Good luck and I like to know too.

Hitchhiking? Bicycling?

$340/person is a pretty good rate for a cross country flight these days.

Manchester is usually cheaper than Logan, but that might be far for you if you're in RI or CT.

Is Logan to LA or Logan to Phoenix cheaper enough to justify a drive?

To answer your question, Yes.
Anyone can find cheap fares to Las Vegas. It takes time, effort, patience, and a little luck to book above average deals. Unfortunately airline capacity is down and loads are up (with some very recent weakening) which results in higher airfares.

Spirit always has promo codes and their fares are cheap from Boston to LV. I am pretty sure you can find $99 each way if you put in some effort.

Quote: DRich

Spirit always has promo codes and their fares are cheap from Boston to LV. I am pretty sure you can find $99 each way if you put in some effort.

ya know that $99 fee is what they call the basic fare. Everything is extra including a seat. That is correct....that fare does not include a seat. You have to pick a seat during the booking process and every seat has an additional charge from a minimum of $10 on up. Who ever heard of a fare that didn't include a seat.....no thank you, I'll stand.

The fee does not include baggage as well. You pay $35-$50 extra each way for bags and that includes carry-on bags. You can carry 1 personal item, up to school size back pack, so unless you are traveling VERY light....extra $.

Our flight is $217 round trip. That includes my bag and seat :-)

Quote: kewlj

ya know that $99 fee is what they call the basic fare. Everything is extra including a seat. That is correct....that fare does not include a seat. You have to pick a seat during the booking process and every seat has an additional charge from a minimum of $10 on up. Who ever heard of a fare that didn't include a seat.....no thank you, I'll stand.

The fee does not include baggage as well. You pay $35-$50 extra each way for bags and that includes carry-on bags. You can carry 1 personal item, up to school size back pack, so unless you are traveling VERY light....extra $.

You are wrong about the seat, it is included. You are correct about the carry on costing extra. I usually try to get everything in a backpack which they don't charge for. Spirit seats are the smallest in the industry and not very comfortable.

Quote: DRich

You are wrong about the seat, it is included. You are correct about the carry on costing extra. I usually try to get everything in a backpack which they don't charge for. Spirit seats are the smallest in the industry and not very comfortable.

To add a little to this: one does not have to select a seat with Frontier and pay. You can choose to not select a seat and you will be assigned one for free. I believe they actually call selecting (and paying for) a seat "seat upgrading".

I personally avoid (and do not recommend) LCC's (Low cost carriers = Allegiant, Frontier, Spirit) as much as possible. But cheap is cheap and LCC's do fly a number of unique routes that can work for many flyers. Especially for short trips that one can get by with just one personal item (as DRich mentions).

Quote: DRich

You are wrong about the seat, it is included. You are correct about the carry on costing extra. I usually try to get everything in a backpack which they don't charge for. Spirit seats are the smallest in the industry and not very comfortable.

It wasn't on my recent trip, both booked and flew last month. When I went to pick a seat, EVERY seat came with an additional price.

It was kind of a last minute trip and I did book only 2 weeks before traveling, perhaps, all the 'free' seats were taken....I don't know.

Quote: DRich

...Spirit seats are the smallest in the industry and not very comfortable.

Just like a crowded bus.

Quote: kewlj

It wasn't on my recent trip, both booked and flew last month. When I went to pick a seat, EVERY seat came with an additional price.

It was kind of a last minute trip and I did book only 2 weeks before traveling, perhaps, all the 'free' seats were taken....I don't know.

You do not have to pick a seat. If you just click next, there is no charge and a seat will be assigned later. There's like a 99% chance that this'll be a middle seat, and you may want to pay to avoid that...

$700 to travel 2500 miles or so is fairly cheap. Think of a tank of gas costing $50 and getting you 500 miles. That is 5 tanks there and back plus probably 2 hotel nights there and 2 hotel nights back. It's cheaper than driving and gets you there 2 days earlier. Not bad

Quote: Gabes22

$700 to travel 2500 miles or so is fairly cheap. Think of a tank of gas costing $50 and getting you 500 miles. That is 5 tanks there and back plus probably 2 hotel nights there and 2 hotel nights back. It's cheaper than driving and gets you there 2 days earlier. Not bad

I enjoy driving across the country. Conversely, I enjoy seeing it from 34,000 feet up also.

Quote: Ibeatyouraces

Our flight is $217 round trip. That includes my bag and seat :-)

How so? Details please?

Quote: speedycrap

How so? Details please?

Book way in advance. Possibly because it's a very early morning flight too. I did notice the same flight later on the same day was much more expensive.

Quote: Ibeatyouraces

Book way in advance. Possibly because it's a very early morning flight too. I did notice the same flight later on the same day was much more expensive.

But the price is really really cheap. I got SWA 2 months in advance for $149 one way. Which site or airline you use please?

Quote: kewlj

It wasn't on my recent trip, both booked and flew last month. When I went to pick a seat, EVERY seat came with an additional price.

It was kind of a last minute trip and I did book only 2 weeks before traveling, perhaps, all the 'free' seats were taken....I don't know.

lol, KJ...I think I recall you making this same exact comment a few weeks ago (maybe it was someone else). All you have to do is scroll down and press 'continue without picking a seat'

Just how terrible are Frontier and Spirit? There's a fare war going on from Cleveland to Las Vegas at the moment, and I could get on a flight tonight for $182 roundtrip.

Quote: teddys

Just how terrible are Frontier and Spirit? There's a fare war going on from Cleveland to Las Vegas at the moment, and I could get on a flight tonight for $182 roundtrip.

Book it. Vegas is calling....As far as last minute fares, that is very good. It is only a ~4 hour flight for the nonstops. It is similar to asking "Just how terrible are the Downtown hotels in Vegas?". They are fine, as long as you know what to expect.

CLE fares are rarely cheap ever since United(aka Continental) de-hubbed the airport. The LCC's have moved in to fight over the traffic. For that route I would be flying Southwest. I would be watching for Southwest fare sales and/or booking in advance when the Southwest booking window opens.

Quote: speedycrap

But the price is really really cheap. I got SWA 2 months in advance for $149 one way. Which site or airline you use please?

Expedia/Spirit. The problem most of you have, is you all want luxury. I just want to get from point A to point B!

Quote: Ibeatyouraces

Expedia/Spirit. The problem most of you have, is you all want luxury. I just want to get from point A to point B!

I don't think there is anything resembling luxury in modern day air travel unless you are travelling first class. i travel United most of the time, and I feel I am treated no better than a package from FedEx. I would shudder to find out how a discount airline treats it customers

I fly USAir nonstop out of Philly to Vegas 5-6 times a year and always pay $250 or less RT. Like others have said, you have to look often and book when the price seems right. This may all change when American completely takes over but they fly 5 no stops a day from Philly so if you are flexible, the prices are too. I am elite level so I don't have to pay for bags, but there is a $25 bag fee to consider when calculating total cost.

Quote: Gabes22

I don't think there is anything resembling luxury in modern day air travel unless you are travelling first class. i travel United most of the time, and I feel I am treated no better than a package from FedEx. I would shudder to find out how a discount airline treats it customers

I've never been treated bad. All I expect is to get where I'm going. Nothing more, nothing less.

I also have never been treated bad, but I do shudder and shiver when I hear about those passengers on United who got stuck in Goose Bay Canada.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/united-airlines-flight-diverted-to-happy-valley-goose-bay-twitter-erupts-1.3113036

Back to OP, after looking at your options, Boston looks a lot more like pre-Delta Seattle. Pay the ransom with JetBlue (book as early as possible), brave the high tides with Spirit, or accept that you can choose from a country-full of layovers. You are virtually hublocked, but at least Boston is a big enough city to bring you to most hubs in the country, but that doesn't help you with Vegas, considering Southwest doesn't fly that route.

Quote: racquet

I have a chance to stay in a Las Vegas resort through one of those "listen to our presentation" deals. We do these things often enough, and with sufficient due diligence, to get value back in return for a couple of hours of our time. We never take the bait, since we're already pretty well invested in vacation-ware, and we're up front enough with the salesmen as soon as we walk in that we either get let out early or get to laugh at them when they go all bad-cop good-cop with us. We've signed up for these things outside of restaurants, in airports, and lots of times over the phone. If we don't get what we thought we would, it adds to our knowledge for the next time.

I thought that it would be fairly easy, and inexpensive, to find airline connections from Boston/Harford/Providence to Las Vegas. I recall junket flights that I had heard about but never booked, for ~ $99. Years ago I flew for free on a few occasions, Boston/Providence -> Atlantic City.

This is not working out as I hoped. The cheapest flight we can find are ~ $170 one-way, Providence to Las Vegas. That's $700 plus for two people. That's not worth it for what was supposed to be a quickie trip with essentially "free" lodging.

We'd be willing to listen to other guys trying to sell us stuff, or bring cash to a casino cage - so long as we could get it all back out in chips which we could then put half on red and the other half on black at a roulette table, or in some other way surrepticiously launder so that we came out essentially even - so long as they would do something about the airfare. My guess is that this is not how it's done for us steerage-class gamblers, but hey - can't hurt to ask.

What's the cheapest way to get to Las Vegas that does not involve a Greyhound bus?

Southwest. We're flying the same route in October for $340 RT just like you. That's what it is-the days of $230 are long gone. Look at it this way-it will cost MORE to fly to Syracuse, Toronto, Pittsburg, Toledo, Nashville or some other places much closer. I went to London RT in 2003 for $350 after taxes now you can't get it under $750. In 1994 I went from JFK to Moscow, 3 nights hotel in Moscow, night train to St. Petersburg, 3 nights hotel in St. Petersburg, fly to Helsinki, 1 night in Helsinki and back to JFK for $799 PPDO.
Things change.