Key Points:
- In 2024 June, July, and August were the cheapest months to visit Las Vegas.
- On the flip side, the most expensive months were May, October, and February.
- March & May attracted the most visitors, while February & November were slowest.
Timing your vacation to Las Vegas correctly can be the easiest way to save money as prices tend to fluctuate wildly throughout the year.
Every year, I take a look at visitor data provided by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) to answer when Las Vegas is the least crowded, and more importantly, when hotels are the cheapest.
The analysis will also show when it’s most expensive and packed to the gills.
Cheapest Times To Visit Las Vegas
First, some housekeeping – The table below details three separate metrics, which’ll help us identify the best times to visit:
- Occupancy Rate: The % of available room nights that were filled.
- Average Daily Rate: Average $ amount paid per room night.
- Total Visitor Volume: Total number of visitors that month.
The visitation data below is from 2024, but the general trend remains roughly consistent from year to year.
I’ve color-coded the data as follows:
- Green: Less crowded and/or less expensive.
- Yellow: Middle-of-the-road cost and/or expense.
- Red: More crowded and/or expensive.
Yellow = OK
Green = Good
Cheapest Times to Visit
As is commonly the trend from year to year, temperature extremes, both cold and hot, produced cheap hotel rates.
In 2024, the hotels were the cheapest in:
- July – $160.15/night
- August – $175.44/night
- June – $175.64/night
- March – $178.26/night
Most Expensive Times to Visit
Year after year, temperate months in the spring and fall tend to rank among the most popular times to visit, resulting in higher room rates.
As the chart above shows, that trend continued.
In 2024, the most expensive times to visit Las Vegas were:
- November – $198.72/night
- May – $202.59/night
- October – $216.99/night
- February – $248.35/night
Keep in mind, monthly stats like average daily rate and total visitation are often driven by specific conventions, sporting events (Super Bowl or March Madness), or holiday weekends that cause rate surges.
One or two expensive holiday weekends/events can make a whole month look more costly than it is.
Even in more expensive months, deals can still be found mid-week or during non-peak times, absent of major events.
Shop around to find the most advantageous dates, book direct, and reserve a refundable room so you’re able to re-book if prices fall!
One way I quickly identify cheap times to visit Las Vegas is by pulling up the monthly price calendar on Caesars Rewards (even if I don’t plan to stay at a Caesars property).
There, I can see nightly room rates for a whole month. Cheaper times stick out like a sore thumb.
See Also: What is the $20 Sandwich? Should you try it in Vegas?
Busiest Times in Las Vegas
Below are some key events, holidays, and conventions that are popular for visitation, meaning room rates will be elevated. If you’re looking for the cheapest time to go to Vegas, I recommend steering clear of these events.
Consumer Electronics Show (CES) (Early January): CES, an exhibition of cutting-edge technology, draws nearly to 200k people from around the world. That many people crowding the sidewalks, the monorail, and most importantly, the craps tables will make Vegas both hectic and more expensive than usual.
Conventions run in Las Vegas year-round, some larger than others. You can check here to see what conventions conflict with your travel dates.
March Madness (Mid-March): For the sports betting community, doing the opening weekend of the tourney is the time to go “peak degen”. Make sure you reserve a spot to watch the games.
Super Bowl (Early February): Another premier sporting event, it’s one of the busiest times to visit Las Vegas, attracting around 250,000 folks. Again, you’ll also want to book a watch party in advance too.
Halloween (October 31st): People go to Vegas for Halloween. A lot of people.
New Year’s Eve: Annually, the Strip is shut down to vehicle traffic and pedestrianized so that folks can enjoy an impressive fireworks display at midnight. Vegas is generally a party. Vegas on New Year’s Eve is a madhouse.
Memorial Day Weekend (End of May): Long weekends like Memorial Day are a popular and expensive time to visit Las Vegas.
Labor Day Weekend (Early September): Another 3-day weekend that celebrates the American worker, Labor Day weekend means big crowds.
4th of July: The masses flock in to watch fireworks on the Strip and at Plaza downtown.
National Finals Rodeo (Early December): Held on the UNLV campus in early December, the National Finals Rodeo features rough men that attempt to stay on angry animals for as long as possible. The city will look like a scene from “Yellowstone”… but with more cowboys. A lot more.
Electric Daisy Carnival (Mid-May): EDC is a music festival that draws hundreds of thousands of concertgoers. While the event itself takes place away from the city at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, attendees eat up a large chunk of the city’s hotel inventory.
Hopefully, I was able to use real-world visitation and pricing data to help steer you toward a less chaotic, less expensive trip to Vegas.
As mentioned, don’t let an expensive month scare you off! Monthly data is often skewed by a major event or holiday. Always check mid-week room rates, and scope out monthly hotel room rate calendars on booking websites to gauge when a cheap room can be had.
Lastly, ALWAYS book a refundable room so that you can take advantage of rate drops as your travel dates approach.
Related Articles:
- Las Vegas Casino scents – Yes, you can buy the actual fragrances Bellagio, Caesars, and Mirage (used to) use on their gaming floor!
- Who Owns What Casinos in Las Vegas – A guide to resorts on the Strip.
Feature Image: ©gioiak2/123RF.COM
I’m a former software salesman turned Vegas aficionado. While the craps table is my preferred habitat, I pull myself away to explore new attractions, shows, restaurants, and outdoor activities around Las Vegas with the intent of sharing my experiences.
Ultimately, I just want to help folks plan a better trip and save a few bucks in the process.
Rich
Sunday 8th of July 2018
This is an excellent post and a great tip on the conference schedule. Always my first look before even considering when to come to Vegas. Keep up the great posts!
Linda
Saturday 7th of July 2018
Hey don't forget that March is also Spring Break month so you have a lot of college kids drinking and making fools of themselves.