Las Vegas guide and MSE thread 2014

silvercar

jadamcp wrote: »

Thanks for the update Calum, I had a look earlier and tried a few dates but no flights were coming up.


Am I correct in thinking Status or being a higher class of Avios is more important ?

callum9999 wrote: »

No, it makes no difference whatsoever.

To upgrade an economy fare it needs to be a more expensive flexible ticket. These tickets often cost more than a non-flexible discounted premium economy ticket.

You can however upgrade any premium economy ticket to club world (subject to availability).

The experts reckon one of the best use of avios is to upgrade from premium economy to club (business).

If you time your return journey to be a night flight home in business, you should be able to sleep on the flight home in at least a flat bed position and be capable of work the next day. Hopefully limits the jet lag and saves you a hotel booking for one night or a day's extra leave from work. At least that is the theory.

photome

Old news now but a shooting in the Rio casino

http://www.vegaschatter.com/story/2014/12/8/124343/991/vegas-travel/At+Rio%2C+Serial+Casino+Robbery+Suspect+Shot%2C+Killed

martmonk

As advised by my head for points email this morning, both BA and virgin have started their sales.

http://www.virgin-atlantic.com/gb/en.html?cm_mmc=UK%20Affiliates-_-TradeDoubler-_-2235940-_-Link

Taken directly from the email:

The easiest way to check out the best prices to a specific destination is with the British Airways Low Fare Finder tool on ba.com. This will show you the cheapest price on any route, in any class, on month by month basis.
http://www.britishairways.com/travel/low-price-finder/public/en_gb?DM1_Channel=AFF&DM1_Campaign=UKI_GB_EN_PHG_ALWAYSON&DM1_Site=PHG&utm_source=PHG&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=UKI_GB_EN_PHG_ALWAYSON

BA not advertising the sale until next week.

callum9999

silvercar wrote: »

The experts reckon one of the best use of avios is to upgrade from premium economy to club (business).

If you time your return journey to be a night flight home in business, you should be able to sleep on the flight home in at least a flat bed position and be capable of work the next day. Hopefully limits the jet lag and saves you a hotel booking for one night or a day's extra leave from work. At least that is the theory.

Though it requires you to pay extra to get the premium economy fare and then pay even more to upgrade to Club (plus the Avios you pay).

As I travel a lot, I'm regularly in areas of the world that have dirt cheap avios redemptions in economy (the US, South America, Australia and to a lesser extent, the EU/South Africa). If you're not, and would pay extra for business class, then those upgrades could be good value but it never would be for me.

silvercar

callum9999 wrote: »

Though it requires you to pay extra to get the premium economy fare and then pay even more to upgrade to Club (plus the Avios you pay).

As I travel a lot, I'm regularly in areas of the world that have dirt cheap avios redemptions in economy (the US, South America, Australia and to a lesser extent, the EU/South Africa). If you're not, and would pay extra for business class, then those upgrades could be good value but it never would be for me.

I meant to upgrade using Avios for the jump from premium economy to Club class. Yes it does mean buying premium economy to start, but virtually all premium economy tickets can be upgraded using avios, whereas the cheapest economy tickets can't be upgraded, so the price differential can be small.

It depends how you view your trip, some people would be happy staying in one of the cheaper hotels, others wouldn't. Same with flights. For some people the flight is just sitting in a metal tube getting from A to B, for others the trip starts the moment you arrive at the airport check-in and the whole journey is part of the experience.

This being a money saving site, it is about getting the most for your money, not necessarily doing everything in the cheapest way possible.

drchimrichalds

The minus 5 ice bar is another fun attraction. If you sign up on their website before you go, they will usually send you coupons. I think once I had a $5 off entry coupon and another time some free drink coupons.

callum9999

silvercar wrote: »

I meant to upgrade using Avios for the jump from premium economy to Club class. Yes it does mean buying premium economy to start, but virtually all premium economy tickets can be upgraded using avios, whereas the cheapest economy tickets can't be upgraded, so the price differential can be small.

It depends how you view your trip, some people would be happy staying in one of the cheaper hotels, others wouldn't. Same with flights. For some people the flight is just sitting in a metal tube getting from A to B, for others the trip starts the moment you arrive at the airport check-in and the whole journey is part of the experience.

This being a money saving site, it is about getting the most for your money, not necessarily doing everything in the cheapest way possible.

Of course, if you want to pay for more then it could be worth it for you. I'm merely counteracting the typical mantra many people have where you should only use them on premium bookings. Yes, you theoretically save more - but if you wouldn't have paid those original prices then it's a false saving.

There can also be a rather big difference between WT and WT+ prices. Looking at the low fare finder, the cheapest economy at the moment is £389 whereas the cheapest premium economy is £806. As you say, upgradeable economy fares are expensive so upgrading from WT to WT+ would be madness!

jaytay

Not sure if it's been mentioned before but there is now a free shuttle that stops at the Tropicana that drops you off in the middle of the Town Square shopping area.
Might be worth putting it in the 2015 thread

Route,pick up and drop off times and places in the following link

http://www.mytownsquarelasvegas.com

Winter_Jasmine

Hi, I asked a few pages back but not sure if anyone saw (or just if no-one knew the answer). I'm thinking of booking a fully refundable room at Monte Carlo for next June (total of £899, including taxes and resort fees high floor/strip view and $50 dining credit). If I book it, but then Mlife offer me some free nights nearer the time, does anyone know if I can amend my booking by knocking a couple of nights off, without having to cancel the whole thing and start again? Thanks

martmonk

Winter_Jasmine wrote: »

Hi, I asked a few pages back but not sure if anyone saw (or just if no-one knew the answer). I'm thinking of booking a fully refundable room at Monte Carlo for next June (total of £899, including taxes and resort fees high floor/strip view and $50 dining credit). If I book it, but then Mlife offer me some free nights nearer the time, does anyone know if I can amend my booking by knocking a couple of nights off, without having to cancel the whole thing and start again? Thanks

I'd imagine the answer depends on a few pieces if additional information such as was the booking direct or through a third party and whether there were conditions attached to the booking such as a minimum number of nights for the offer and/or the dining credit.

If direct I'd suggest making a call to their reservations number, in my experience vegas hotel customer services are always really helpful and they'll answer definitively. There are numbers you can use to make the call just about free, I'm sure some have been discussed on this thread earlier in the year.