How soon to start making reservations?

     Is it possible to start planning a trip 2 weeks before or is this not a good idea?  I found some notes of a LV trip from August, 1994 having made the reservations the end of June.  I had thought I'd allowed myself a bit more time.

     But that was long before all the travel websites, Youtube videos and crazy airport issues there are now.  It doesn't seem possible that every flight from Chicago could be totally full even 2-3 weeks before could it?  I know there are exceptions like before the Super Bowl or NFL playoffs.   

     There must be people out there who have some sort of strategy for this, particularly at certain times like over a football weekend.  I suppose I'll just be told the less time in advance I allow, the more it will cost?

                  Tim

Hotels and car rental deals can be found a few weeks out. 

Airfare can get expensive the closer you are to a departure date. 

Well, the pro strategy is to make a reservation that's cancellable and refundable without penalty as far in advance as possible, and then shop for better deals as the travel date draws near. I've found that unless I'm traveling during some super-busy time (which I scrupulously avoid), there are always great last-minute deals to be had.

As far as airfares are concerned, keep in mind that any flight with more than six empty seats is losing money, so if a departure date approaches and there are a lot of seats left, airlines will often offer discounts to fill up their planes. I've gotten a LOT of bargains a week or less before a flight date.

I personally cannot wait until the last minute regarding airfares, but there are way fewer flights, non-stop, from my city.  Got to have non-stop, so that's a factor.

Seems the flights are ALWAYS full, or thats what they say at flight time.  I do check from time to time and re-book if the price drops.  Used to happen more in the past until now.  

I search for hours when I know my trip dates, roughly, as in which month and what days I can or can't do.  Don't go that often so it is important.  Best for my mental health and enjoyment of the whole trip picture to have flights locked in. 

My brother, he travels more often, to see family, etc., and he is a whiz at finding last minute flights/prices on the discounter sites etc.

Candy

I think the tiebreaker is if you're willing to simply postpone your trip if a decent airfare doesn't materialize--or just go somewhere else. It used to be that Vegas was a unique destination, one where you could do stuff you wouldn't find anywhere else. Not even sort of the case any longer. Gambling? Better elsewhere, and cheaper. Restaurants? Better in just about any major city, and cheaper. Resort hotels? Nothing unique or special about the Golden Commode or the Slipping Silver, and other destinations are cheaper (and no resort fee). Entertainment? Maybe. But all the good stuff in Vegas costs $40,000 per ticket, plus taxes and fees.

So if you're just dying to set fire to your money, there are plenty of other places to do that. I'll fly there and stay there only when those things are cheap, otherwise, someplace else gets my patronage, time, and money.

Of course, for me, the bloom came off the Vegas rose some time ago, and that may not be the case for others. It seems to me that the only thing "special" about Vegas these days is the relentless and persistent gouging. $34.50 plus tax for a cheeseburger and a bottle of water. I guess that qualifies as special, by the dictionary definition of the term.

I do realize that many folks have no choice but to plan far ahead. But if you're willing to change things on short notice, or go somewhere on a whim that's different from your Plan A destination, then oh boy is that last empty seat on the plane cheap sometimes.