Earning Miles While in Vegas
#16
FlyerTalk Evangelist




Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot
Programs: Oceanic Airlines Gold Elite
Posts: 21,268
There's also a Hilton Vacations property on the site of the Flamingo, and one somewhere else on the Strip.
The easiest way to earn FF miles is renting cars in Vegas, IMO. I've earned two Rapid Reward redemptions mostly on car rentals using 3x/4x Alamo bonuses... which I've redeemed for flying to Vegas (WN is a pretty decent way to get to Vegas; a lot of WN cities have Vegas nonstops, even places like LBB).
The easiest way to earn FF miles is renting cars in Vegas, IMO. I've earned two Rapid Reward redemptions mostly on car rentals using 3x/4x Alamo bonuses... which I've redeemed for flying to Vegas (WN is a pretty decent way to get to Vegas; a lot of WN cities have Vegas nonstops, even places like LBB).
#17
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: PHL
Programs: US Plat; AA; DL
Posts: 182
#19
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: Former UA 1K, SPG Gold, HHonors Diamond, Hyatt Diamond, IC AMB
Posts: 403
With Hilton's Triple Mile promotion with Virgin Atlantic, I was earning 3000 miles per 1 night stay at the LV Hilton. Not bad for a $42.95/night rate. (Plus, as a diamond, I got free breakfast buffet as well for two people.) I alternated stays with the Doubletree, which was $73/night.
I think this promo ends on July 31, but now it's 2000 Virgin miles per stay for their Double Miles promotion, or 2000 bmi miles per night.
I think this promo ends on July 31, but now it's 2000 Virgin miles per stay for their Double Miles promotion, or 2000 bmi miles per night.
#20


Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: So. Cal
Programs: ALL
Posts: 115
I don't think there are any machines in Vegas that still use coins (all slips now). But even if they did, they probably use the silver dollars coins. The dollar coin forum has a bunch info about people trying to redeem coins in Vegas with not too much success.
#21
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Programs: HH Gold, PC Plat
Posts: 33
That would be correct. There are only a handful of casinos that I know of that still take coins of any denomination, much less the gold dollar coins. You can however exchange small amounts of dollar coins at casino cages for paper money.
#22
Join Date: Aug 2005
Programs: UA*G, *wood Gold, Hyatt Pl, IC plat.RA.
Posts: 106
#23




Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: LAS, SMF
Programs: Marriott Plat, Global Entry
Posts: 184
a couple of opportunities
One can convert Harrahs points to Hawaiian Airlines points, but it is at a low rate that I never considered. But you might do it if you are not returning to Vegas and the points would otherwise expire from inactivity (Harrahs points expire after one year of inactivity)
One can also get SPG points from the Westin slot card at a really good rate: 1 cent cashback gets one SPG point. However, it is more difficult to get points cheaply on the card since they lowered the points earning rate by 75% on their Shufflemaster blackjack machine. They have 25 cent progressive video poker that becomes positive expectancy on occasion; check the meters. I believe that the points accumulate on most machines at a 0.5% rate.
One can also get SPG points from the Westin slot card at a really good rate: 1 cent cashback gets one SPG point. However, it is more difficult to get points cheaply on the card since they lowered the points earning rate by 75% on their Shufflemaster blackjack machine. They have 25 cent progressive video poker that becomes positive expectancy on occasion; check the meters. I believe that the points accumulate on most machines at a 0.5% rate.
#24
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: MSY
Programs: NW Gold and now Delta Gold
Posts: 3,072
This cannot be true unless you have some kind of mental deficit. The more time, effort, and energy you put into winning, the more opportunities you will find to profit, be it from blackjack (card counter), the (admittedly increasingly rare) coupons or beatable machines, or from poker. Most people lose because most people DON'T make any effort. The techniques for making money in Vegas are not top secret information, they are widely published, so if you don't make use of them, you really have no one to blame but yourself. Most people feel it's too much effort to win...that's their choice.
Vegas is not a town to worry about earning miles. I go there to pick up cash.
Vegas is not a town to worry about earning miles. I go there to pick up cash.
#25
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend




Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: GVA (Greater Vancouver Area)
Programs: D.R.E.A.D. Gold card holder
Posts: 53,184
I don't think time and energy are the differentiators, but effort definitely is. I never put in the effort because I consider gambling to be a form of entertainment. As long as I can get a few hours for not too much money, I've done my job. I don't think I'd enjoy it if I was actually trying to make money.
#26
FlyerTalk Evangelist




Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: India
Programs: DL Diamond, Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, ALL Platinum, IHG Platinum
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I don't think time and energy are the differentiators, but effort definitely is. I never put in the effort because I consider gambling to be a form of entertainment. As long as I can get a few hours for not too much money, I've done my job. I don't think I'd enjoy it if I was actually trying to make money.
#28

Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Las Vegas
Programs: AA,CO,US, and SPG Gold (just like everyone else :P)
Posts: 117
I saw the Sex in the City machines today after having read this and it just made me chuckle... instead of winning money you win bonus miles, comped upgrades and maybe even higher status. That would definitely be an interesting one...
#29
FlyerTalk Evangelist




Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: India
Programs: DL Diamond, Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, ALL Platinum, IHG Platinum
Posts: 30,690
#30




Join Date: Mar 2006
Programs: AA EXP, UA 1K, F9 Elite, Hyatt Diamond, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Gold
Posts: 1,323
For your hotel booking, you can get BD miles (which are actually very valuable) by booking through its website's hotel portal (which is actually Expedia in the background). You have to book a minimum of 3* hotel to earn any mileage starting at 500 per night, but goes up from there along with * level.

