Since MGM Resorts International started charging parking fees in 2016, parking costs have become commonplace for guests who drive their own cars to Las Vegas or rent one when they get there.
Regardless of how long you park, self-parking rates typically start at $18 to $20 for the first day. Tipping (at least $2 to $5 per encounter with a valet runner) is advised, and valet parking, when offered, is more costly. Visitors who stay at the hotel usually pay less. Weekends and special events may likely incur higher prices.
Of course, a sizable portion of the city's tourists are landing at Harry Reid Airport and probably won't require parking. The percentage of those visitors who rented a car when they arrived was not disclosed by Reid Airport or the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. However, over 54% of tourists arrived in Las Vegas by ground transportation in 2023, up from 49% in 2022, according to the LVCVA's 2023 Visitors Survey. Compared to 44% in 2022, half (50%) of tourists drove their own car while there.
About one in six tourists (16%) traveled to neighboring locations before to or following their visit to the city in 2022, up from 12% in 2021, according to the LVCVA survey.
Alan Feldman, a veteran of MGM Resorts and a distinguished fellow in responsible gaming for the International Gaming Institute at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, describes the fees as a means of creating an additional small revenue stream while also financing enhancements to the parking experience.
"There was a time when free parking and air conditioning were two big draws for the casino industry," Feldman stated. "After that, the industry itself began to change and provide a ton of other amazing things. and the actual hotels were converted into four- and five-star establishments. Additionally, parking was kept free throughout out of respect for the historic site.
Although residents of Las Vegas still view free parking as nearly a given, visitors have mostly come to terms with the costs, which have long been the norm in major cities and popular tourist destinations.
"What's occurred is that Vegas is now well worth the money instead of being inexpensive. We have changed the city's focus from value for money to value for experience. And that's an indication of a thriving, expanding, and maturing market—but it's also expensive," Feldman added.
Here are some tips.
Where can truckers find a break, then?
The very few locations on the Strip that provide free self-parking include Fashion Show, Casino Royale, Circus Circus, Sahara Las Vegas, and Treasure Island (TI). Apart from the M Resort and Silverton, free parking is still available at off-Strip establishments like Rio, Palms, Orleans, Westgate, and Virgin Las Vegas, as well as the suburban Boyd Group and Station hotels.
The first four hours are free for all visitors, and Fontainebleau Las Vegas, which will end its first full year of operation next month, does not charge hotel guests for self-parking.
The main ways to receive free or discounted parking are either signing up for a resort's loyalty program or obtaining a credit card linked to a hospitality brand.
Additionally, informational websites like Las Vegas Advisor and Las Vegas Direct, which allow users to book hotels, shows, tours, and attractions, regularly update their pages with thorough listings of parking fees if guests are forced to pay for a spot. However, users of the Advisor site must pay a fee to access the most recent information.
According to Dale Bock, the founder of Las Vegas Direct, "Parking fees are a pain, but when you look at the overall value you get from staying in Las Vegas compared to other cities, it is still very economical compared to other destinations around the world."
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