Las Vegas Trip Cost: Pricing for Flights, Food & Accommodation

Las Vegas offers more than just casinos, hotels, entertainment, and world-renowned restaurants. Most people don't know that there are hiking and biking trails in the Mojave desert just outside the city.

However, visiting these places requires you to create a detailed budget beforehand; hence, the question is, what does a Las Vegas trip cost?

A 3-day weekend trip to Las Vegas costs around $1300-$1900 per person. Flight Tickets of $250-$300 are available even from smaller cities across the country, and an international average of around $672-$1050 per trip. You will spend an average of $350-$400 on hotel fees, transportation costs, food, entertainment, and sightseeing activities.

Las Vegas may be expensive, but it offers visitors much value for their money. Read on for a detailed cost breakdown of visiting Las Vegas and how to save cost on some items.

How Much Should You Budget for Las Vegas

When visiting Las Vegas, always remember that accommodation, food, entertainment, and activities are usually expensive. A weekend in Las Vegas will cost you an average of $1300-$1900, depending on where you are coming from.

The average budget for flight tickets is $250 for local and $1050 for international flights. It would help if you mixed up your accommodation, eating, and entertainment styles to stay at this average cost.

You can stay at a $120 budget hotel and eat $19 standard meals instead of the more expensive fine dining experiences. This average budget will cover less expensive activities like $35 escape rooms or $10-$30 for the hoover dam tour.

There are so many entertainment and fun activities in Las Vegas which are expensive. For example, helicopter tours cost between $100-$500, and skydiving costs $175.There is no limit to the cost of a luxury trip to Las Vegas.

You can spend $1200-$2500 on first-class flights to Sin City, $189 per night for hotels, or $500-$1000 on vacation rentals. So, it all depends on the amount of luxury you desire and how you choose to live. 

And, if happen to want to buy a gift, consider visiting the Man Cave store, which is Vegas's best gift shop. It's located at the Grand Canal Shoppes at The Venetian Resort, so definitely check it out!

How Much Will You Spend On A Tight Budget To Las Vegas

Going to Las Vegas on a tight budget is possible, but you must cancel some extracurricular activities. You can reduce your daily average from $259-$300 to $85-$95 if you travel with friends. 

This new tight budget average is possible because you will split the bills among yourselves, saving more money. For example, you can split the average Uber bill from $12 to $6 if you travel with a friend. Most of the rooms in these hotels have two beds, and splitting wouldn't be an issue.

Even if you travel solo, it is still possible to reduce your daily average cost of visiting Las Vegas to $100-$110. Staying in 1-star hotels will cut expenses to $37, and taking standby flights will drastically reduce flight costs, although you'll have to bear some inconvenience.

Related Read: What To Wear in Las Vegas

Basic Expenses On A Trip To Las Vegas

Several factors combine to result in the $350 we've highlighted for average daily expenses in Las Vegas. A detailed cost breakdown will help you better plan your trip to Las Vegas.

Here are some of the most common fees you will have to work around during your visit. Remember, these costs can go slightly up or down depending on how you choose to live. 

1. Flight Tickets

The first thing you will always have to consider is the cost of Flight Tickets. Many local airlines offer discount and economy flights into the Harry Reid International Airport.

The average cost of round-trip flight tickets throughout the country is $250-$300. It can go as low as $65 when traveling from some cities. Worldwide flights range from $670 to $1050, but if you're lucky enough to cash in on discounts, it can go as low as $400.

Flight Tickets depend on your location, the season, and whether you are going on a weekday or weekend. Las Vegas is a weekend City, and most flights will become expensive during the weekend and get lower on weekdays.

2. Accommodation

Las Vegas has over 150,000 hotels and motels, providing various options. Like flight tickets, the cost of hotels varies according to date, season, and luxury style.

Budget hotels like Excalibur, Luxor, Circus Circus, and the Strat hotel have fair prices and adequate facilities. They cost $30-$50 per night on weekdays and can shoot up to $120-$250 per night on weekends.

You can pay $60-$130 per night on weekdays in Mid-range hotels like Park MGM, MGM Grand, Flamingo, Tropicana, New York- New York, and Treasure Islands. However, the prizes also shoot up on weekends to $300-$500. 

High and luxury hotels like Bellagio, Caesar's Palace, Cosmopolitan, the Venetian, and Mandalay Bay charge $175-$450 on weekdays. Since weekends are peak days in Las Vegas, the prices increase to $400-$800 per night.

These are just the cost of a standard room per night in each hotel. The more luxurious the room, the higher the price.

Related Read: 20 Romantic Getaways In Las Vegas

3. Transportation

Transportation is easily the cheapest expense in Las Vegas, whether you use an Uber/Lyft, the monorail, or car rentals. It becomes even more affordable if you travel as a group and split the bills.

An Uber/Lyft is the best option, especially when visiting locations on the Strip or downtown. Most Uber/Lyft rides along the strip cost below $12, and the most expensive ride doesn't get more than $20.

Monorail provides transportation along the Strip, and you can pay $5 for a single ride or $13 for a day pass. Car rentals cost an average of $40 per day, and you only need them when traveling outside the Strip.

The grand canyon, red rock canyon, death valley, hoover dam, and lake Mead are a short distance from Las Vegas. You can rent a car and take yourself on a tour of these tourist attractions.

4. Food

Food is part of the Las Vegas culture, home to many world-renowned restaurants. It caters to your style by offering different dining options, from fast foods to fine dining experiences. Since it's mostly a 3-day weekend vacation, most people will not cook their meals.

Fast food is always cheaper than dining out, with an average cost of $10-$20. Although fine dining experiences are expensive at up to $290 per meal, you can get an excellent standard meal for $19. Breakfast is typically cheaper than lunch/dinner, and most hotel buffets cost $20-$50.

Related Read: 25 BEST Kid Friendly Hotels in Las Vegas

5. Entertainment

Las Vegas has a bubbling nightlife with numerous nightclubs, bars & lounges, and pool parties. You can sign up for a free guest list online that allows you to go into these places free of charge. You can even choose to pay for tickets and bottle service in advance if that is more your style.

Once inside these entertainment hubs, you can buy beer at $10-$15, shots at $12-$15, and cocktails at $15-$20. To buy a ticket, you will pay $15-$40 and add a cover charge of $14-$50 on each ticket. Bottle service ranges from $500 to $10,000, depending on your group size.

6. Activities

There are tons of activities in Las Vegas that will keep you preoccupied throughout your vacation. The great news is Las Vegas has a variety of cheaper and more fun activities to offer. The most expensive activities cost several hundred dollars, such as gambling, helicopter tours, skydiving, and shopping. 

You can start with the free attractions at the Bellagio fountains and the Las Vegas signs. Shows like Cirque du Soleil, la reve, sporting events like boxing, live concerts, and comedy shows cost between $25-$50. If you're looking for more budget-friendly options, consider cheap Las Vegas show tickets, the $35 escape room, the $10-$20 Giant Ferris wheel, or the $20-$28 museum.

You can find several more activities in Las Vegas within this price range. For example, the skypod observation deck at the Strat and the gondola ride at the Venetian. These activities are pretty expensive when you add them, and you can choose not to do all of them.

Related Read: 17 Best Water Parks in Las Vegas

Tips To Save Money On Your Las Vegas Trip

Las Vegas receives over 42 million tourists annually with excellent hotels, restaurants, and entertainment. However, the glitz and glamour can get expensive. Here are some tips to save money in Vegas while still having fun.

1. Visit On Weekdays

Las Vegas is a weekend getaway destination. The costs of hotels, food, and activities increase by 2-3x more than on weekdays.

Vegas is always busy no matter the time you visit, and a weekday visit will save you more money from tickets, hotels, etc. For example, staying at the circus-circus hotel is $30 on Mondays to Wednesdays but goes up to $160 during the weekend.

Another weekday advantage is the free or reduced entry and cheaper food alternatives, with restaurants offering happy hour and weekday specials. You will save money while getting a break from the large weekend crowds.

Conventions are always happening, and you must check trade show calendars to plan your trip properly around this. These trade shows have up to 100,000 attendees,  and such a large crowd will erase potential savings from your midweek visit.

2. Book Hotels Away From The Strip

Downtown Las Vegas is the best place to book a hotel and save money. Downtown Las Vegas is just a mile from the Strip, and most hotels are cheaper, saving you money. 

A hotel a few blocks from the Strip is easily walkable, and you can still participate in the Strip activities. If solo, you can stay in 1-star hotels for $37 or split hotel bills with your friends if traveling in a group.

Freemont street has casinos, hotels, and restaurants and is considered a cheat code when you are on a budget. The cost of hotels, food, drinks, and entertainment is way cheaper than the prices on the Strip. You will also find beautiful light shows at LED canopy, live DJs, and bands. 

3. Fly On A Budget

Consider flight times, stops, and layovers when traveling to Las Vegas. Standby flights will drastically reduce the cost of flights if you don't mind the inconvenience.

Plan your visit and book flights for 30-90 days to save money on flights. The cheapest months to fly to Vegas are July, August, mid to late September, and mid-December. Remember to use your browser incognito before booking flights because your internet history will increase flight prices.

4. Travel in Groups

You can save a lot of money when you travel in groups to Las Vegas. Food and accommodation take up most of your budget, and you save money when you split the bills amongst yourselves.

Food is expensive in Las Vegas, but portion sizes at most restaurants are usually enough for two people. Sometimes the portion is insufficient, and the $30-$40 buffet comes to the rescue. You can eat as much as possible, including sodas, coffee/tea, desserts, bottled wine, and beer.

Most standard hotel rooms in Las Vegas come with two beds; you can split the cost with a friend. Splitting the cost of local transportation among yourselves is also a great way to cut costs and save money.

Your group can split a $40 car rental and drive to Grand Canyon, Lake Mead, and Red Rock Canyon recreational area. At Red Rock Canyon recreational area, you can take hikes, rock scrambling, or visit seven magic mountains art installations.

5. Save Money On Activities

Nightlife in Las Vegas can be expensive, but you can indulge without extending your budget. Take advantage of the free drinks and water at casinos, even if you are not playing. Servers always offer you a drink when you sit at a slot machine.

Special promotions and discounts on Cirque du Soleil and magic shows exist. You can also find cheap activities such as 25-50 cent pinball games. 

There are more free activities, such as the fountains of the Bellagio hotel and its botanical gardens and conservatory. The wildlife habitat at the flamingo or the artwork at the ARIA resort and casinos are all free.