Big Pre MyVegas Reward Trip May 2014

I am Australian (51) and my husband is American (52), who has lived here with me in Australia since 2006. We LOVE Vegas and were married there at the Little Church of the West in 2005.

We have been to Vegas a total of 6 times together but my husband has been on several solo trips when he lived in LA. (who wouldn't with a one hour flight!). We usually plan our trips WAY in advance, saving each week towards it plus researching, spreadsheets, itinerary etc.

THE PLAN:

Way back in February 2013 after we had visited Vegas in November 2011 we decided we would plan another time to Vegas in August 2013. This come about due to a couple of things. One - my husband got an offer from Southwest for their credit card where if you spend $2000 in the first 30 days you would earn two free flights. Two - playing MyVegas. I had been playing since the beginning and had redeemed a couple of rewards in the November 2012 trip, I had now convinced my husband to play as well. So the idea was to use our LP's to stay 4 nights in Vegas on MyVegas rewards. Thus this was going to be a budget trip.

In March 2013 we *purchased* our rewards on MyVegas, 2 nights each at Luxor. This was when this reward was available, they now no longer offer it. My husband called one morning and booked his reward and then I called the next morning to book mine. This is were we struck our first problem. The customer service person then tells me I can't book the room as the MyVegas reward is not valid for August. I then inform her that my husband had booked his the day before and why did he get his? Well she then tells me that his Customer Service person had made an error and he also could not book/redeem his and proceeded to cancel both our rewards and refunded our points back.



There we were stuck, no free rooms, did not want to pay for them as we had not factored that into our budget. What to do??? My husband complaining that now he had another credit card and had to pay another annual fee and we had no benefit from it. We sat and thought for about a week.



THE NEW PLAN:



After consideration and thought we then decided we would plan on a trip in May 2014. Here in Australia where I work holidays are booked a year in advance and even tho I had August booked I could not get any more in 2013 to plan another time. So 2014 was it. I searched and searched daily for good prices on the Australia to LAX airfares, which we would book on the Southwest credit card to get points, but after the 30 days so we didn't get our free flights. All the while we are still saving for this trip weekly.



Finally in July 2013 and good price appears for Virgin Australia and we book the flights. First item off the list!! We had continued playing MyVegas as well of course, but the rewards had changed along the way and we could no longer get the 2 nights on the one reward offer they only had one night stays. Our plan was to *purchase* a weekend night each at Luxor then one Sunday night - Luxor, then one night each at MGM. This would take our total to 3 rewards for me and 2 for my husband then enabling us to purchase one more on his for a food reward.


On other side note, the trip that was supposed to be in August 2013 we were only going for 5 days. 4 in Vegas and one in LA and back home.. yeah I know its a crazy trip but we had done it before. This time around for the May 2014 we decided then as we had saved more we would extend that out to 3 weeks, 5 days in Vegas, then onto the family in Lancaster PA for 10 days and back to LA for a further 5 days.


So along the way we booked things as they come up on a good price, me continually searching. Rooms, car hire, other flights within the USA. Again I look for the best deals and we use flight miles where we can. All this time we are patiently waiting for the MyVegas room reward calendar to come up for the May dates. Finally they appear after weeks of *they are bringing the calendar out in a week* and low and behold the dates we want for Vegas/Luxor we CANT get, zilch not available no way baby!!!


Eye roll so want are we going to do now?? We could only get the Friday night at the Luxor, or book Excalibur for the 3 nights but no MGM available.

Had to sit and think again and work around this. In the end we decided to take the Friday night at the Luxor and ended up paying for the other 2 nights via MLife. Then purchased as rewards the other two nights via MyVegas at Aria. OKKKKK got the rewards but still had to call to book the rooms and as our luck was not going our way I thought sure as anything when we ring they will say the rooms are all booked out (MyVegas rooms are limited). But the Vegas gods looked down on us nicely and we managed to book the Luxor and the Aria rooms. Yipppeeee!!! we have our Vegas accommodation sorted. When we booked the paid Luxor nights via MLife we got a deal but the following week my husband got a even better deal emailed to him so we called and took that one up which was even better and they upgraded us and put all the bookings together.. BIG SIGH


This then left some MyVegas rewards for us to use as we only used 3 out of our total 6. We will probably use them for food rewards and I am trying to convince my husband that the Fuel the Duel ($100 drink credit) would be a great option. Would like to get the Monte Carlo $50 voucher and still one more to toss around for, unsure what for, we are not buffet type people so if any one has some suggestions... got for it.


So here we sit, waiting for May to come around for us to commence our trip. I count down the days and wish it was here sooner. My husband says don't wish it away too soon as it will come around and then it will be gone. We have our itinerary all planned as we like to do, and then when we come home we like to add to this actual itinerary what we actually did do while we were there - its like our own Trip Report.


I hope I haven't bored you all to tears, and after we come back from our MyVegas Reward Trip I will try and do a proper trip report for then.

 

That sounds like you've really earned it after all that planning . Too bad it didn't work out in August but your extended trip definitely makes up for it. I too am going in May, but only started using MyVegas a few weeks ago so I'm unsure of how many points I'll accumulate by then.

 

Hope all goes well for you! We enjoyed Puck's Bar and Grill last visit and there is a nice myVegas reward available for it. You also have Tender's right in the Luxor. Just a word of warning if you arrive late, the hotel staff only recommended Public House (wings and snacks) when we arrived after 10pm. BUT if you walk to the shops between Luxor and Mandalay Bay, (Mandalay Place) there is a great pub called RiRa serving real food until 4am. Guiness on tap as well.

 

WOW I am so glad it all worked out. I was going through the roller-coaster ride with your story at first. Aria whoooooo!! Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy.

 

Glad to hear things worked out..... I will be at the Aria in May also...... if we are there at the same time, we should get together for drinks