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Does any one else use airline/hotel packages?

Discussion in 'Misc. Vegas Chat' started by TyrC, Sep 20, 2014.

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  1. TyrC

    TyrC Tourist

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    I hear many people here talk about huge rates for rooms.
    Am I the only one here that uses things like Southwest
    package trips. For $866.00 U.S. I get 5 nights at the
    Orleans plus airfare. That is for me and my wife.
    When I was single I used things like Funjet Vacations
    that a tourist agent would book for me. For those too
    young to know before you could easily book your
    trip on your computer you would go to a travel agent
    who would do the work for you.
     
  2. gpenguins67

    gpenguins67 High-Roller

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    I tend to book my flight separate b/c I usually get my room comped. And even when I have paid for a room, I have found the price to be the same to just book the room from the hotel website. And even if I make a last minute decision to change to a different hotel or move dates, I can do that without any fees (some sites charge). On the other hand I have heard several people mention that we they book the packages, the hotel has a ridiculous discount or that the package is cheaper to book with the hotel than paying for the flight alone (although I have never seen that first hand myself, I guess it does happen);
     
  3. LolaDoggie

    LolaDoggie VIP Whale

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    If you're not comped and the package works out better, then do it. I'm not comped so I do my homework separate vs package for every trip.
     
  4. 1LuckyMomma

    1LuckyMomma High-Roller

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    The Orleans is great. However, the one time I booked a package, I was disappointed. Last year I booked one with a room at the Rio. It was cheap, but I really would have rather stayed elsewhere. However, I didn't want to pay for another room. We also get comped now so I'm only paying for the flight. :)
     
  5. tringlomane

    tringlomane STP Addicted Beer Snob

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    This. Look at it both ways. CET and Mgm offer coupon codes on their websites and after factoring that in, it's sometimes better to book separately. Sometimes smartervegas.com has even better codes for hotels.

    And not knowing where you're flying from, it's hard to say how good 866 is. If you're flying from Florida it's great. Denver, not so much.
     
  6. dko

    dko Tourist

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    The Mrs. and I used sun country out of msp last year. It was our first trip and we used their vacation package, saved a couple hundred compared to booking seperate (stayed at harras). This year we got our rooms comped for 4 days , so buying our flight alone saved us quite a bit. We didn't gamble that much last year, I was surprised they comped us the rooms.
     
  7. tringlomane

    tringlomane STP Addicted Beer Snob

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    CET is typically pretty generous on rooms if youre a machine player, especially if you are a new player in their system.
     
  8. dfalk

    dfalk VIP Whale

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    I've only booked a package twice. I got comps or at least some play at alot of casinos so I can at least get a discounted rate that's cheaper than booking a package.
     
  9. thecarve

    thecarve Misanthrope

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    My sister and BIL got a really nice deal on a package deal this spring through the Wynn website. They saved a boatload versus booking separately even with sis getting a deep discount on rooms through casino marketing.

    My degeneracy gets me my room for "free" so I've never personally done a package deal.
     
  10. bluesdude

    bluesdude VIP Whale

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    For many trips now we've had comped rooms. Mostly downtown (MSS) and Orleans. Then we just book our flights separately. Why waste comped rooms!
     
    Dead & Co with my son! June 4 or 5th - June 8th
  11. Ty

    Ty ?

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    Back when I used America West Vacations, I was at the gate counter behind a guy trying to change his flight. The agent kept saying, "I cannot help you, you have to get this flight changed through America West Vacations". Might be different nowadays.
     
  12. tatterdema

    tatterdema VIP Whale

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    The only time I use packages to Vegas anymore, is if I just include a one night throwaway hotel room to bring the cost of airfare down. About the only time I find the full packages less, are with higher end hotels that I never stay in. I used to book SWA Vacation packages often, but since they switched to Mark Travel as a provider, I have not found a single instance where I could save using them.

    I DO use packages to Mexico and Hawaii though, and find substantial savings. Example: I just booked a 7 night package to the Big Island, staying at Marriott for $1100.00 including hotel, non stop air, and full size car. Hotel alone was $1700 on Marriott website, and $1200 on the cheapest OTA I could find. This brings the price of the hotel down to $57 per night including taxes if I figure air would have cost $500 and car, $200.
     
    Last edited: Sep 21, 2014
  13. GottaLuvCruising

    GottaLuvCruising High-Roller

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    I usually get a comp room and book my air with points; all my $ goes for shows!

    But a couple years ago I went to Vegas with some friends (novices) and we booked a Delta package...worked great! We got RT flights MCO-LAS / MGM Grand 3 nights / Beatles Love for $260pp! It was phenomenal value and a great weekend in May.
     
  14. Aces and Eights

    Aces and Eights VIP Whale

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    My flight from LAX is between $80 (when they have the really good deals) and $140 per person round-trip. Since I'm single, I just pay for myself, but for two people that would be between $160 and $280. That would mean the cost of the hotel would be around $600 to $700 for five nights. To me that's not particularly great for Orleans at $120 to $140 per night. The only air and hotel package deals I get are for Reno or Laughlin. They're free, but I just love the atmosphere of Vegas so much that I never take those deals.
     
  15. leo21

    leo21 VIP Whale

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    I used to look at those packages all the time before I got room comps. I never did them because the teaser rates always included red eye or indirect flights with crappy hotels. When you started changing options, the prices weren't as atrractive. At one point I was able to get good deals on charters from some of the vacation companies and would book flight only options but those are long gone. I wish something would change so that those types of flights came back.
     
  16. matguy

    matguy High-Roller

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    I'm a pretty notorious deal searcher. One year a package with SouthWest and TI, through SouthWest, was better than we could find anywhere else, with decent flight times. Adding a car to the trip through SW wasn't good, so we did it separately. Had no issues with flight stuff nor hotel (in fact the hotel gave us a pretty good strip view room with the $20 shenanigans.)

    It's a good option for searching, but I certainly wouldn't assume that it's always better. While the single check-out draw might be nice, like others have said, changes can be hard when going through a 3rd party (though that can be true for any price aggregator, like PriceLIne, Expedia, etc.)
     
  17. dko

    dko Tourist

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    They must be. We didn't gamble more than 7-800 $ at CET. The e- mail offer was for 3 nights, we called and they added the 4th day and early check in for free. We are slot players too.
     
  18. bubbakitty

    bubbakitty Doing retirement again and happily so....

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    You have to watch out for the resort fees as well since more than likely it is NOT included if applicable and due upon arrival. However, if not currently comped it is a good way (if a good price) to get on the radar and begin receiving offers for your play on future visits.
     
  19. dmr

    dmr Registered Abuser

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    In previous years, before getting regular room offers, we used to occasionally do the Southwest and America West vacation packages. In a couple cases the cost of the combined flight and hotel for two was less than the air alone!
     
  20. Thickskinnedalive

    Thickskinnedalive Low-Roller

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    First trip to Vegas was a package and it was a great deal. Free buffet and tickets to Cirque were included in the price all for the price of just flight tickets through the airline. No brainer. There are still deals to be had but not to that extent
     
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