Las Vegas guide and MSE thread 2012

rorylando45

CASINOS

I don't really mind going indirect. Gives me a chance to check out a new airport, and often means you get more opportunities for free beer on the plane(s)!

beardybum

Myself and my OH are going to Vegas in May for the 2nd Time. We missed out on the Grand Canyon last time and would really like to do the helicopter tour this time around.

Not sure if we would be better off booking before we go, or waiting until we get there to get a deal?

popstar

duchy wrote: »

An advantage with the indirect flights is that you clear immigration at your first port of entry so once you land in Vegas you can grab your bags and are on your way instead of standing in line waiting to clear customs and immigration.

?

I hadn't realised that. We are flying Mancs - Philidelphia-vegas and the same return. We have a 4 hour "layover" in Phili which I was not looking forward to but actually when you put it as an opportunity to grab some fressh air etc it makes perfect sense

popstar

We are flying with United Airways, what are peoples experiences of asking for free upgrades? It's my daughters' 21st so was thinking about using that as a reason, however, there are 4 of us travelling!! Not too confident that I would get 4 seats upgraded:p

Froggitt

IMHO somewhere in between fat chance and no chance.

photome

VALUE FOR MONEY

popstar wrote: »

We are flying with United Airways, what are peoples experiences of asking for free upgrades? It's my daughters' 21st so was thinking about using that as a reason, however, there are 4 of us travelling!! Not too confident that I would get 4 seats upgraded:p

No chance!!! of even getting one upgrade for free.

AFAIK no airlines will give free upgrades

Rich-JM

adamg wrote: »

Hey, has anyone been to Hawaii from vegas, thinking of Direct flight to vegas 5 days in mid price hotel flying to hawaii, 7 days on beach then back to vegas fo r2 days in top end hotel then direct back to uk. The flights from vegas to hawaii look to be approx £500 return, We want to spend a week on a beach without to mych flying. i.e only to where vegas flys to dont want to transfer

Did this trip last year - direct in to Vegas with BA, then took US Airways flights to Honolulu via Phoenix. Phoenix was about a 50 minute flight, with a 2 hour stopover before the 6 hour flight to Hawaii. Cost was about £300 per person return, about £200 cheaper than Hawaiian Airlines.

duchy

SHOWS

popstar wrote: »

We are flying with United Airways, what are peoples experiences of asking for free upgrades? It's my daughters' 21st so was thinking about using that as a reason, however, there are 4 of us travelling!! Not too confident that I would get 4 seats upgraded:p

You are correct notto be confident.
Airlines upgrade their frequent flyers first -and Joe public after.
The only chance of an upgrade realistically would be if the flight was overbooked enough in economy that they moved all the frequent flyers up a class and still needed more. You could pay extra to sit in United's economy plus seating which gives better leg room but nothing else -details of cost on www.united.com but personally I'd spend the money on a really nice meal for four in Vegas instead.
As a data point I am currently a frequent flyer with United on the lowest level and I've not had an upgrade on transatlantic in the last year as they all went to higher tier FF-ers so really-don't hold your breath. Personally my opinion is you'll get a sneer or an abrupt "No" and why set yourself up for that ? The days of dressing smartly and charming the check in staff for an upgrade are long gone and check in staff now have to account for and justify upgrades- The best you could hope for would be the offer of paid upgrade to business for £500 or pay for economy plus IF it's worth it to you .

duchy

SHOWS

photome wrote: »

No chance!!! of even getting one upgrade for free.

AFAIK no airlines will give free upgrades

Well ....not strictly true

Some airlines are better than others at this and if you fly several times a year it pays to stick with one airline to get a bit of status.

United are probably the poorest for this but I've had regular domestic upgrades to first on domestic flights (with lowest level status ) with both Delta and AA and even when the flight was overbooked a JFK LHR business upgrade with Delta but for a once a year flyer with no status I'd agree it's very very unlikely unless there is something etraaordinary happening like irregular ops or massive overbooking in economy.

duchy

SHOWS

popstar wrote: »

I hadn't realised that. We are flying Mancs - Philidelphia-vegas and the same return. We have a 4 hour "layover" in Phili which I was not looking forward to but actually when you put it as an opportunity to grab some fressh air etc it makes perfect sense

I've even popped into Manhattan to lunch on a 5.5 hour stopover in JFK -once you;ve cleared immigration and customs you hand your (already tagged ) bags back and if you want to can clear security (so better to do this with minimal hand baggage-I often put stuff I wanted on the transatlantic flight but won't want on the domestic into the case before handing it back over) and get right outside into non processed air . I've found since I've started doing this I get fewer coughs and colds after long flights. Of course you can still stretch your legs without the fresh air element wandering around the terminal (most are huge) if you don't want to faff around with security or are worried it might take too long going through and back again if time is tight.