A:
Any hotel business center worth its salt should have a computer set-up where you can log in to your airline online and print a boarding pass (click here for our list of hotel Internet charges, in the "Stay" section, which includes details for those that have a business center). It sounds strange to us that you weren't able to do so.
However, given that alternatives might be necessary, here are two ideas.
The first idea is as follows. You can check in online and access your Southwest Airlines' boarding pass without printing it out right then. As soon as you check in online, you lock in your place in the A, B, or C group order, depending on how early you are.
Let's assume you check in 23 hours and 59 minutes before your flight and you get a spot in Group A. That spot is yours whether or not you print out your boarding pass at that time. When you show up at the airport, you simply go to one of Southwest's electronic kiosks, input your name and confirmation code, and up pops your A-Group boarding pass. Print it out right there at the kiosk and you're all set.
An LVA staffer did this on a trip to Colorado a few months ago; it worked like a charm for all four boarding passes in his group. And it's free.
So how do you check in online without a computer? Well, you can try the hotel business center, where all you need is access to a computer, not a printer. Alternatively, you can pre-arrange with or call a family member or friend at home or at work 24 hours prior to your departure and provide your confirmation code to whoever you raise at the other end of the line; that person and a computer can check you in to hold your space.
The second idea is for those of you who want to have the actual boarding pass in hand as soon as you check in online. In this case, you can go to one of any number of FedEx Kinko's around town, where you'll find computers with printers for rent. It'll cost you a few bucks for the time it takes to check in and print out. And you'll have your boarding pass before walking out the door.
Four FedEx Kinko's stores are convenient to the tourist corridor.
The one at 830 S. 4th St. is between Hoover and Gass, two blocks north of E. Charleston Blvd. and one block east of Las Vegas Boulevard just south of downtown.
To get to the one at 395 Hughes Center Dr., go north on Hughes Center Pkwy. off E. Flamingo and take a quick right on Hughes Center Drive; the store is right there.
The one at 4440 S. Maryland Pkwy. #107 is located two blocks south of E. Flamingo, right across from the main university parking lot.
And there's one at 7620 Las Vegas Blvd. S., two or so blocks south of Warm Springs Rd. in front of the Las Vegas Outlet Center.
Update 15 October 2007
Another useful suggestion:
"When I'm in town, the easiest thing to do is stop by the airport the day before my flight, spend a quarter on short-term parking, and print from the nearest kiosk, which can't be much more than 100 yards away. If you want to avoid the airport, you can also stop by the rental car facility, free parking in front, and print one from the kiosk by the door."
"This is not a question but a reply to the boarding pass issue. Several of the libraries around the Las Vegas area have computer access for free and will allow you to print off your boarding passes. They might charge a minimal fee for the printing. I have used the one just past Freemont street several time on Las Vegas Blvd." [Editor's note: This is true -- we list all the libraries and other free Internet-access options in our "Free Wi-Fi Hotspots" section.]
Interesting:
"Re: boarding passes. Forget paper boarding passes. On flights a couple of years from now, you may be asked to register your cell phone number with your airline to receive text messages with boarding pass bar codes. You would then hold the screen of your cell phone under the airport security scanner rather than show a paper record. Air Canada, Air Berlin, and Spanair already offer the service in their countries, and U.S. airlines are pressing for government approval."
Keep it coming:
"Regarding today's question: There is also a handy UPS store at the Flamingo. They offer computer time rental, printing and fax services as well as ap lace to ship and recieve packages. They are right next to the monorail (No, I don't work for them, but they always seem to treat me well, so I figured I would give them a plug)."
More!:
"There is another alternative for the printing of boarding passes. I know for sure that at the MGM Grand, downstairs, there are wall mounted computer terminals where you can, for a very nominal charge, access email and the internet -- you can print your boarding pass right there if you want.
Also, at the Luxor and a few other places that escape me right now, there's an off-site baggage check (charge is $20.00) where you can check in, check your baggage and all you have to do is head to the airport when you want. I've done this when I've had a late afternoon flight and will not be near the hotel in which I stayed when it's time to go to the airport. The only drawback is that in all probability (at least with Southwest) my bags were put on the first flight out after they arrived at the airport -- but that wasn't too bad because my bag was at the Southwest luggage office at the airport when I arrived, thus I did not have to stand at the baggage carousel when I arrived." [Editor's note: We cover the whole off-site airport check-in subject in the "Airport Information" area of our "Transportation" section, which you can find under "Visitor Info" or "Stay." We haven't revisited that research for a wee while, however, so it's worth checking in advance before you rely on it. Thanks for this prompt -- we'll update it as soon as time permits.]
And here's another useful tidbit or two:
"I thought I would chime in on the Question of the Day about boarding passes. Treasure Island and Monte Carlo (to name two) have public Internet stations that you can surf and print boarding passes. You swipe a CC or there is a bill feed. I think the minimum charge is $5 which should cover the time and the printing. At Monte Carlo there are two stations. One is in the lobby and the other is by Starbucks in the food court. At TI it is by the pay phones on the way to the pool. I am pretty sure there are more sprinkled throughout the strip. These may be easier to access than a FedEx Kinkos and cheaper than a hotel business center. Business centers, at least last time I used one, are a rip off.
"The way to do it on the cheap would be to go to the Apple store in Fashion Show Mall where you can 'test' drive computers hooked up to the net and printers. The printer is behind
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