Using FF miles to go to Vegas
 

I am starting to think this is impossible. I am looking to use some miles to go to Vegas for a long weekend. I've got miles on DL and US, which means I can also fly on UA, CO or NW. I live near Newark and would love to fly out of there, but am willing to fly out of LGA, JFK or even PHL. I've been looking to fly out on Thu Jun 24 and return on Jun 27, but there is NOTHING available on any of those airlines from any of those airports. I have also checked for random other weekend throughout the summer, with similar results. What gives?

Is it just impossible to use miles to go to Vegas? Do I need to plan this a year in advance? Or does it have to be at the absolute last minute? If anybody has had any success with using FF miles from the New York area to Vegas, I would love to get some advice. Thanks!

Im trying to get there the weekend before that from Raleigh, NC and I have had no luck, ive been looking for about a month. I can book a premium award on US, but i dont want to burn 50k for it

Las Vegas and Hawaii are probably the two most frequently requested destinations for reward trips.

As always, when wanting to use Saver (or whatever the equivalent is for your airline) you should try to book as soon as you know. There are few seats allocated for Las Vegas because it is such a popular destination... and they go quick.

I have heard (but not experienced) that at the last second seats may become available.

You are close to when you want the seats... so may be impossible to get a seat without paying the standard mile price.

Good Luck!!

William

Have you considered flying into an alternate airport? (like LAX?)

Yes, it is a 4 hour drive, but consider this: If you can get a non-stop, NYC-LAX, that will probably cut out 2 hours flying travel time versus if you had to make a connection in order to get to Las Vegas. (For example, EWR-IAH-LAS or EWR-ORD-LAS, etc - the layover plus flying out of the way is probably around 2 hours extra). That would make flying into Los Angeles only about 2 hours longer in total travel time versus going to Las Vegas.

Another thing that you could look into is an open jaw award ticket. I flew east coast to Phoenix and then returned Las Vegas back to east coast. I then rented a car one-way and got to see Phoenix, Scottsdale, Sedona, Grand Canyon, Hoover Dam, and Las Vegas.

Flying into LAX is an interesting idea. I hadn't considered that. Yes, the overall travel time probably won't be much greater than if I had a layover somewhere, but there is the added cost of the rental car, which I wouldn't get if I flew right into Vegas. I did a brief check on the websites of the two airlines I have my miles on (US and DL) and there was still nothing available on the dates I want to go. I suppose I should call DL because I can't see available CO flights on DL's website.

About a year and a half ago, my wife and I used some DL miles to go to Hawaii. It was extremely easy for us to get what we wanted. Of course, we booked about 6 months in advance. Maybe my weekend trip to Vegas idea just isn't going to work...

bobmann - Good luck! (Just an FYI - car rentals at LAX are EXTREMELY cheap. I just checked and Hertz is only $12.99/day for an economy car with unlimited miles at LAX. (Searched through Sidestep.com).

(Also check UA as they have nonstops and you can use US miles. Don't forget NW as well to use with your DL miles)

I rarely use ff miles to go to LAS as usually revenue flights to there are amoung the lowest you can buy on a $/mi basis. You want to fly Thurs and Sun but the planes are usually packed then. You might check for a off hour (ie red-eye) flight. Also consider flying to SNA, BUR, SMO etc but the 4 hour car trip to L V is long and boring.

MisterNice

If you get to LAX you could book a LAX-LAS NW flight last I looked it was around $100 rt.

It's good to see that car rentals at LAX are so cheap. That's helps convince me that this is a worthwhile thing to do. (Or at least try to do)

Yes, I'm sure the drive is extremely boring, but I like road trips. I've been all around the country (49 states so far, just missing Alaska), but one drive I've never taken is the LA-to-Vegas drive. I wouldn't mind adding that to my list.

What airports are SNA, BUR, and SMO?

Thanks for all the help, guys!

ONT ario is even closer to LAS than LAX.

This is the weekend when most of the kids start camp (in New York anyway).

Believe or not, most flights are heavily booked this summer. Hence, there are very few reward seats (or any seats for that matter) available.

Sunday coming out of LAS is particularly difficult. If you could shift you return to Sat or Mon, you might find better availability.

I would rethink about driving from L.A. to Las Vegas,as it sometimes takes 7 hours or more depending what time you leave.Keep that in mind.
And some car rentals charge extra to drive out of state,or not allow it at all.

I'm surprised to hear that the airlines are busy this summer. I thought they were all in financail difficulty?

I am not dead set on flying back from Vegas on Sunday. My preference is to go Thu-Sun, but I am willing to do Fri-Mon. I think I'd even do Sat-Tue if I really had to. I have looked at all those possibilities, and they are all booked as well.

7 hours sounds a little too far. I could get there from Phoenix or Salt Lake in less time than that.

Man, using these FF miles is turning into a headache...

Someone mentioned ONT, also PSP, SGU all within 200 miles of LAS.

(I'm a little surprised there's no award availability; there's wads of availability on US and UA for PHL-LAS at only $206, and out of LGA and JFK in the high-200s. Also decent out of BWI, BDL, EWR.)