Its official - not going this year.

I was hoping conditions would improve but all of the variables I poked into my calculator are still looking lousy for the remainder of the year.    This is my first missed Vegas trip since 2005.

my considerations:

- difficult to find a round trip flight under $500

- Rental car for a week is at least $450

- restaurants still offering limited menus and understaffed

- too many anecdotal stories of casinos tightening up or instituting new fees.

Its a bummer too because I have a shitload of comps waiting for me at El Cortez and Tuscany.     And the LVA matchplay coupons were pretty solid this year.     Oh well - lets see how things look in 2022.   

On the brightside I'll use part of my bankroll to renovate my bathroom.

I agree with you, Vegas right now is too expensive and the experience is lousy. Add to that record crowds and the high cost of getting there and it's too unpleasant to justify the trouble and expense.

I really expected this to go the exact opposite way, with Vegas offering lots of bargains to entice people back, but apparently they calculated--correctly--that they could go into full-blown gouge mode and the lemmings would come flooding in anyway.

you can add to that list that Vegas is a hot spot for virus infections right now. 

Completely understand. I've been wavering, even after putting off visits for almost two years now. I think I'm still gonna go later this month. 1) I'm fully vaccinated and 2) I have confidence in the ability of my companions and I to find deals and methods to shave the cost (coupons, gambling downtown or off-strip, happy hours, strategic tipping, etc.). 

I'll still mask up indoors (and even outdoors if it's crowded). Will it be one of our classic Vegas visits? Probably not. But I think I'll get enough fun and value to justify the trip to myself.

I am going to Las Vegas in late November.  In spite of Covid, life goes on.

Being retired and having time on my hands, I have done a lot of research and have had a better experience, than PJ Stroh. 

.  Everything seems to be coming together.

Good room deal downtown at Four Queens,   With my 55+ player's card, premium room, with tax is a little over $60/night including taxes, no resort fee.  Wth any kind of upcoming November/December promotion added to it, I hope to be paying less than $250 for a five night stay.  

Restaurants seem to be going back to their regular menus or opening up

- 4Q Magnolia coffee shop has gone back to their "pre Covid" menu

- Binion's restaurants also have their full menus

- I called Binions last week and was told that the Binions Steakhouse was going to open in   September.  Because of the recent Covid upswing, this may now change, but there is a glimmer of hope...

Free Airfare - I have a lot of airline miles.   I booked 4-5 months ago when the airline had reduced the amount of miles required to travel to Las Vegas.  Round trip from DFW for only 18,000 miles, usually it takes a minimum of 25,000 - 30,000 miles on American.  Total cost for airfare - $22.00 in  taxes.

Just read that Moderna expects to have their booster shot available this fall.  Since a lot of a$$xxxxs haven't even gotten their first round of shots, we should be  able to get the booster in more than enough time to get the extra immunity

Have some good masks for protection.  Just got a delivery of premium real 3M N95 Made in the USA masks. (not KN95) Prices, because of an oversupply, finally went back to "normal" Got them direct from an authorized 3M distributor I had dealt with in the past.  

Have a lot of coupons to use.

-  I have the LVA coupon book,

-  Got a discounted price for the American Casino Guide for 2020.  ACG has a lot of the meal and other coupons.  Many of these, particularly for downtown casinos, like the Plaza, were extended

-  Will get the Four Queens Fun Book, when we check in to the hotel  I also got a 4Q Fun Book in May when I was last there and saved quite a bit of money on meals and drinks at 4Q and Binions. 

I will NOT get a rental car, their prices are still outrageous but will rely on Lyft and Uber.  While it will cost more than a car rental used to cost, I figure that I am saving enough elsewhere to be able to afford it.  I used Lyft in May and it worked out well.  For the first time, because I wasn't driving, we could take full advantage of the LVA free drinks coupons and the low beer prices at Ellis Island!!  

Unless something really drastic happens between now and then, I'm going.

I can't believe you are having a difficult time finding cheap flights. I was pricing them out of St. Louis this morning and I found round trips from Frontier and Spirit for $75.  Just looked for Indy and the flights from there on those airlines are around $130 RT.

I quit renting cars years ago when in Vegas and saved a ton of money. With Uber and Lyft there really is no need for a rental. 

I need a rental car because I stay in timeshare properties that are frequently not within walking distance to much and I tend to spend most of my time off strip where shuttles don't go.    It's only takes a few Uber rides a day to out price a rental car...and I would need more than few. 

I'll take a look at Allegiant and Frontier.    I'm normally a Southwest flier and their flights are averaging over $250 each way.   I historically could score those for almost half that.

Yep, I am not so sure why Southwest is so uncompetitive these days. Even with adding seat selection, a carry on and a checked bag on the routes I am looking at Frontier is $150 - $250 cheaper on average.

Turns out it was not official !

Decemer flights on SOuthwest to Vegas just fell below $290 round trip from Indy....and weekly rental cars can be booked for $300 - which is sane  (just barely).       I went ahead and pulled the trigger.    

I guess that mask / delta-variant thing stuck a nail into bookings.    Fine by me. 

You must really like Southwest. My current favorite is Frontier but I have to fly out of St. Louis If I want to use them.  When Spirit dropped their fares to $75 RT out of Louisville I snagged it. I have my fingers crossed, that I won't have any problems.  I am departing late out of Louisville at 8:40 PM so I feel pretty good about them needing that plan in Vegas for a redeye departure from there.