Expedia- Vacation Packages- Advice Needed

[John Will]

Hello Everyone, I've been watching expedia.com for the last few months. What I've noticed is price drops 3 weeks before a planned vacation, example, if I was to be going to vegas 2-24 to 2-28, the prices are very good on expedia, before and after that week they're high. I've noticed this for a while. A person actually told me to wait 3-4 weeks to book a trip there. I'm planning to go 3-24 to 3-28. I'm a little parinoid about this backfiring.Right now through american west I can get a deal for 2 at the Golden Nugget for 4nights at 819.00 out of Philadelphia airport, also we're leaving in the morning which added about 25.00 a person, we don't want to arrive 11:00 at nite in vegas. But anyway is it worth waiting or not? thank-you, John

[aztoad]

John,
Right now the Golden Nugget is offering a $59/nt. rate during your timeframe. It includes a $50 food/beverage credit to be used at the hotel. So, that would put you at ~$240, which leaves you with ~$580 to work with on airfare. I don't know what air fares are like in Philly, but when I fly back to NY (from PHX) I very rarely pay more than $225. If Newark isn't too far away from you, I think they're running a deal (on Travelocity I think) for your dates for something around $180/person. Since I've never flown to Vegas from Philly, I don't know if you can get as good of a deal as when I fly into NY. You may consider booking the room now (to guarantee the $59 rate), and just wait and see if airfares go down in the mean time. I always seem to get the best bang for my buck when I make air and hotel reservations separately. Good luck in your searches for low airfares!!

[Jimbo338]

Hi:
I agree that there are some great deals out there but I've never been able to beat booking my flight and hotel separately. I am leaving in a week for my first of 2 trips this year and tried all kinds of packages. did it myself cheaper again. Keep looking though cause you never know.
I just checked expedia.com's "aifare list" and found RT flights from Philly to LV for 298. At travelzoo.com I found the Golden Nugget 2-24 to 2-28 ( 4 nights ) for $49. a night thru expedia. Ya gotta keep checking all the time.
I'd reserve the room if yo want to gamble. If you do it thru the hotel most give you full refunds if you give 48 or 72 hours notice. I fyou do it thru an agency read the fine print, some charge you 25 and some more to cancel. good luck!

Jim

[John Will]

Hello Aztoad,cheapest rate out of Philly for me is 324.00, thats leaving 8:05 am from american airlines, all others are higher. New York is a good 2 1/2 hour drive from Delaware. Baltimore airport has good prices at times but not right now, thats 1 hr, philly is less then 30 minutes.
right now american west has a cheaper package deal then separate deal. I'll keep watching. thank-you for the advice, John

[John Will]

Hi Jimbo,
Thanks for the advice, I'm going to the sites you mentioned. I'm kind of settle to where I want to stay, I just need that airflight to drop, I'll recheck that flight you mentioned, 298.00, but I think thats a late night flight, I like to arrive in vegas around noon. Thank-you, John

[golf_fanatic]

Keep looking on Expedia for airline tickets separately. We are going out the end of April and I kept getting high prices. (Over $250-300/ticket, before taxes) and then one day I was checking and if I booked on Delta before the next day I could get the tickets for $202 total including taxes. That is flying out of Albany, NY to Vegas. Still do not have rooms booked though waiting for specials to come out. :D

[John Will]

Thank-you Golf Fanatic, if I can get close to those prices out of Philly, I'll be extremely happy. Thank-you, John

[golf_fanatic]

Keep looking, rates are really crazy lately. I just posted a message in Hotels/Casinos portions because I found a rate at Westward Ho on the Strip for $30/night T-Th and $40/night for the Friday night we are out there. Didn't see Westward Ho the last time we were out there so I need advice before deciding what to do. Might do Westward Ho two nights and somewhere else two other nights. :D

[Jimbo338]

John:
I'm with you on flight times. Lots of the cheapest flights are night flights and tho lots of folks like them I don't want to arrive at Las Vegas at midnight (3AM EST)!
Are you near an airport served by Southwest? that's how I started flying with SW; the major airlines were all over 500 dollars and leaving in the afternoon. I booked SW for a 7AM flight for 220.00! This year I booked the same times, Roundtrip for 202.00 in Feb. and 222.00 in April from Manchester NH to LV. They are not at Travelocity or Expedia tho. As was mentioned, bookmark the places you check and check everytime you are at the computer. I was leaving for work one day and they had dropped the price roundtrip NH to LV for 100.00!!!!! It only lasted for an hour that I know of but it was good for those who were vigilent!

Jim

[golf_fanatic]

I agree also about the late arrival times in Vegas. The first time we went out we got there at around midnight. Had to drive an hour and a half to Syracuse and then spend all night flying. This time we are flying out of Albany (a three hour drive but worth it for the fare) at 6:00 am., we'll arrive in Vegas around 10:30 a.m. leaving the whole day to unwind. :D

[TheBigMan]

Hey Joh Will,

Golden Nugget has weekday rates at $59.00 per night through 3/31/2002. Look thru Travelzoo.com for vegas specials. Seems like the airfare is the killer for you leaving from Philly. Direct non-stop i saw $648 for two persons. So hotel/air came to $888 SO $818 IS BETTER!!
Check the hotel/airline websites direct before calling. I went to vegas in Dec 2001, calling Am. west vs. the net was $100 more and hotel special were found thru travelzoo>hotels website direct.
Good luck
Rich

[John Will]

Hello Everyone, I'll keep checking daily. Just checked southwest airlines out of BWI in Baltimore and right now Philly is alot cheaper. BWI usually is cheaper then Philly airport, and I mean cheaper, but lately, last few months they've been high. Can't figure that one out. Something should pop up,soon I hope. Golden Nugget has rooms fo 59.00 and you can get them direct from their web site. Well Thank-You all for the advice and any more will be appreciated, hear of any deals out of Philly or BWI airports under $300.00 let me know. Thanks again, John

[golf_fanatic]

Hi John! Just got an e-saver from US Air this morning and they have listed flights out of Philly to Vegas for $298 rt. Travel must be booked by 2/6 and trip taken by 4/30. (Don't remember when you're going). Also travel has to be taken on a Monday-Thursday. Alot of restrictions but I thought I'd just pass it on. :D

[John Will]

Hello Golf Fanatic and everyone, I truly enjoyed your help and I just purchased a package deal last night to Harrah's for 3-25 to 3-29, arriving in Vegas at 3:49 pm and leaving Vegas Friday in the afternoon. The package for 2 adults was a total of $734.80, 367.40 each. I purchased this on expedia. I see where the price went up to $840.00. I know for the amount that this is a decent price as I've been watching everything. This is my first time to Vegas and now I'm like a small child at Xmas again. Can't wait. Now I have to set up a rental car, any tips, deal directly with rentals or search.Like I said thanks everyone and take care. John