1. Welcome to VegasMessageBoard
    It appears you are visiting our community as a guest.
    In order to view full-size images, participate in discussions, vote in polls, etc, you will need to Log in or Register.

Airfare around the Christmas holidays...???

Discussion in 'Non-Vegas Chat' started by sybgal, Jun 12, 2014.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. sybgal

    sybgal VIP Whale

    Joined:
    Apr 19, 2004
    Messages:
    6,261
    Location:
    Indiana
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    36
    We are making our 1st winter trip this year and flying out on December 28th. Since many holiday travelers may be heading home around that date, do the high fares hold thru NYE? I have been checking daily and they are super high. I am hoping that maybe this fall they may drop or have some special rates. Anyone have any experience with travling during this time frame? Thanks!!!
     
  2. Joe

    Joe VIP Whale

    Joined:
    Sep 11, 2009
    Messages:
    16,023
    Location:
    Wisconsin
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    175
    In general, airfares are up everywhere. We fly into Vegas on Xmas day and we are paying more than I would like, but what are you going to do? SWA- $237 ea going to LV and $211 coming home on the 29th from Milwaukee. At least they are non-stop both ways. If we flew in on Christmas Eve, we could save $26 ea, but my wife won't miss her bowling league that morning.
     
  3. Auggie

    Auggie Dovahkiin

    Joined:
    Jan 8, 2009
    Messages:
    5,820
    Location:
    Burnaby, BC
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    17
    Las Vegas is a New Years Eve destination so the airfare is going to keep going up.

    When we went a few years ago the airfare was already pretty high by mid August, by the start of October it had doubled since then.
     
  4. dmr

    dmr Registered Abuser

    Joined:
    Feb 18, 2011
    Messages:
    19,794
    Location:
    Somewhere in Middle America
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    70
    Since we are not of the persuasion which celebrates Christmas as a high holy day, we often do Las Vegas right before and during Christmas. Lines are short, prices are low, and crowds, for the most part, are not too bad.

    I would say that airfares are "normal" and sometimes (not always) you can get a good air fare by flying back on the 25th.

    Last year we were really surprised. Caesars was crowded and zooey just before the holidays.
     
  5. sybgal

    sybgal VIP Whale

    Joined:
    Apr 19, 2004
    Messages:
    6,261
    Location:
    Indiana
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    36
    Thanks for the responses. Right now....the fares are about $200 higher each way that the "normal high".....I gotta hope they come down some by August or so. I thought since SW just opened that far out, that was normal - being much higher for a while. Just wasn't sure if the holiday affected it that much.
     
  6. Chuck2009x

    Chuck2009x VIP Whale

    Joined:
    Apr 5, 2009
    Messages:
    14,199
    Location:
    Boston
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    30
    Some dates might be much cheaper than others, but I wouldn't expect fares for any dates to any destination between 12/19 and 1/4 to do anything but go up. And for Vegas you can add 1/5 - 1/9 because of CES.
     
  7. lotso-bear

    lotso-bear VIP Whale

    Joined:
    Jan 21, 2013
    Messages:
    1,225
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    111
    Generally airfare is high from mid-December to mid-January. People are traveling like crazy during this timeframe... families, business travelers, college students, tourists, etc.
     
  8. RockyBalboa

    RockyBalboa Front Line Winner

    Joined:
    Jan 24, 2010
    Messages:
    4,212
    Location:
    Houston by way of Philadelphia
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    14
    Lotso is rightso.

    The fares generally stay high from Thanksgiving through the first week of January. They really go up in mid-December.

    What airline do you fly?

    I'd check every day so you can kind of set a baseline. I fly United and have been pricing out my Philly and Vegas trips so I know they're holding at the normal levels. If I see them drop a bit then I'll pounce.
     
  9. lotso-bear

    lotso-bear VIP Whale

    Joined:
    Jan 21, 2013
    Messages:
    1,225
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    111
    :eek: Worst airline since the merger.
     
  10. RockyBalboa

    RockyBalboa Front Line Winner

    Joined:
    Jan 24, 2010
    Messages:
    4,212
    Location:
    Houston by way of Philadelphia
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    14
    Yeah I loved Continental. Being in Houston now my options are limited. I dislike Southwest and I dislike Hobby airport so I stay away from both of them. Any other airline will make me connect and I hate connections unless necessary.

    However United is pushing me away. They used to run seven to eight non-stop's daily to PHL and now it's down to three or four. If my schedule doesn't fit then I'd have to take a connecting flight through ORD or IAD. So if they continue to degrade the service to PHL then I will look into flying American.

    But I go other places and I can get the non-stops from IAH especially to South America and Vegas.

    Jeff Smisek sucks.
     
  11. lotso-bear

    lotso-bear VIP Whale

    Joined:
    Jan 21, 2013
    Messages:
    1,225
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    111
    I feel you. I used to live in N. Jersey so EWR was my primary airport since going to LGA and JFK was a PITA. Never really liked Continental back in the day, I really preferred United since I used to fly them often via Chicago. Ever since the merger, I switched all of my business to American until I moved to Seattle, which is when I started to fly Alaska for domestic flights.

    One good thing about United is that they used real int'l Business Class seats to S. America unlike American. I hate paying $3K+ for a flight to Peru then getting shafted with a domestic First Class seat.
     
  12. RockyBalboa

    RockyBalboa Front Line Winner

    Joined:
    Jan 24, 2010
    Messages:
    4,212
    Location:
    Houston by way of Philadelphia
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    14
    Do you go to Peru a lot? I've flown there a ton! I love Lima. My girlfriend is Peruvian.

    I've yet to fly there since United upgraded the route to lie-flat 767s. Our last trip there was on the old livery 757 United. I chose to pay for E+ because the rate of first for us wasn't smart since it wasn't special.

    On Continental I would buy up or use miles to sit up front because of the limited extra leg room seats. If I didn't get exit row or bulkhead then I was doing what I could to sit up front regardless of it being a domestic seat.

    In November we are headed down there and it's lie flat time!
     
  13. lotso-bear

    lotso-bear VIP Whale

    Joined:
    Jan 21, 2013
    Messages:
    1,225
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    111
    I've been to Peru a few times, primarily for short business trips. I like Lima too, specifically the Miraflores area. Yeah, I recall you mentioning that your girlfriend was Peruvian on another thread. Honestly, I have a huge thing for S. Americans, specifically Colombians and Venezuelans. :wink2: My next trip to S. America will probably be to Colombia and Chile.

    The int'l configured 767s are awesome, even though it's a short flight from Texas to Peru. Honestly, E+ seats are good enough for flights to Northern S. America when the Business Class seats suck. That's why I just buy Economy fares for flights to S. America when flying American, since I get access to exit row seats and MCE (AA's version of E+) seats for free. Have a good trip in November! My last trip to Peru was last November, the weather wasn't that great but it was still better than the weather in the Pacific NW.
     
  14. RockyBalboa

    RockyBalboa Front Line Winner

    Joined:
    Jan 24, 2010
    Messages:
    4,212
    Location:
    Houston by way of Philadelphia
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    14
    Haha I hear ya man. Latin women are my weakness.

    Her family lives in Miraflores about eight blocks or so from Larco Mar. I love it there and if my company ever opens up any positions for South America I'd love to move there. I've been to the Atlantic City and Fiesta casinos there and it's funny how they view craps. I've seen the table opened once the entire time (wiped my roll out with a quickness too...dammit). But I went on an insane blackjack run at Fiesta once. Bought in for $100 and cashed $3k.

    Thanks for the well wishes and if you hit up Chile let me know how it is!

    PS - sybgal sorry for veering your thread off course. Got caught up in a good discussion with Lotso here. I will let it die now :)
     
  15. Ty

    Ty ?

    Joined:
    Sep 2, 2013
    Messages:
    8,796
    Location:
    Mid Ga
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    22
    Who bought Christmas airline tickets already?

    I just started looking a few weeks ago, should have bought back then.
     
  16. floridavegas

    floridavegas Low-Roller

    Joined:
    May 9, 2012
    Messages:
    263
    Location:
    Clearwater Beach, Fl
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    12
    Bought the outbound 12/17 - attempting to purchase 12/21 or 12/22 back home - they are so expensive now...
     
  17. chef

    chef Resident Buffetologist

    Joined:
    Apr 20, 2002
    Messages:
    5,573
    Location:
    Illinois
    For best prices, fly on Dec 25 or Jan 1.
     
  18. lotso-bear

    lotso-bear VIP Whale

    Joined:
    Jan 21, 2013
    Messages:
    1,225
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    111
    I did. Took advantage of an awesome Business Class fare from Madrid to Seattle for $1,800 round-trip. Plan on spending a few days in Madrid before heading to the UAE.
     
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.