- An LA-based couple has figured out how to do day trips to Las Vegas on the cheap.
- They book $39 roundtrip tickets through Spirit Airlines and pack a backpack for the day.
- Credit card rewards and loyalty points from free apps allow them access to hotel pools and airport lounges.
Ryo Furukawa was intrigued by the Mandalay Bay pool — or, the 11-acre “aquatic playground,” as the Las Vegas-based resort describes its popular amenity.
It has a wave pool and a lazy river, neither of which he’d ever experienced.
He and his fiancé, Jenn Dinh decided to make a day trip out of it. It was a bit of a tall order, considering they lived nearly 300 miles away in Los Angeles, but they managed — and, thanks to a cheap Spirit flight and a handful of travel hacks, they did it on a budget.
Since then, the couple has replicated the low-budget day trip to the entertainment capital of the world four more times. They spoke to Business Insider and broke down the cost of their typical 16-hour trip to Vegas, which they can do for less than $100 per person, not including food.
Airport parking: $30 total ($15 each)
The couple typically flies out of the John Wayne Airport (SNA) in Orange County. They drive themselves to the airport and leave their car in the lot.
Furukawa said the daily parking rate recently jumped from $20 to $30, and joked that he needs to “figure out another plan there.”
Flights: $39 per person
Furukawa is a member of the Spirit Savers Club, a $70-a-year membership that offers discounts for him, the primary passenger, and up to eight additional guests on the same reservation.
“It paid for itself by just purchasing two tickets. We saved over $70 that one time,” said Furukawa, who joined in the summer of 2024. For each subsequent trip, they’ve saved a couple of bucks.
“There’s more savings when the tickets are more expensive — not as much savings when they’re already cheap,” he explained. But it bumps their ticket prices below $40.
Here’s an example of a roundtrip flight for $38.60:
Ryo Furukawa via Spirit
They typically depart SNA at 6:45 a.m. and arrive in LAS at 7:55 a.m. Their return trip leaves at 8:30 p.m. and arrives at 9:39 p.m. Spirit allows one personal item. They both pack a backpack.
Prices do fluctuate, said Dinh, but they’ve agreed on a cap: “If it’s $50, we’re not going to go. It has to be like 40-something or under.”
Transportation in Vegas: $0 to $40 total ($20 per person)
Technically, the airport is walking distance from the Strip — and they’ve done the walk before.
“We only have one backpack each, so not many things to carry,” said Furukawa. Though, “it’s a little deceiving — probably three or four miles of walking.”
While the active commute is free, and a nice option on a good-weather day, they prefer to save their legs. They’ve used rideshare apps and taxis — the taxi fare is set based on the part of the Strip you’re heading to, making it easy to price compare with Uber and Lyft — but their favorite way to get around is by renting a car, which gives them more flexibility and the option to explore beyond the Strip.
On their most recent trip in January, they said the car cost a little under $40 for the full day — and they didn’t have to top off the gas, either. They drove so few miles that, by the end of the day, “the meter was still past the full mark,” said Furukawa.
Taking advantage of free activities and saving their food budget for LA
There’s more to Vegas than pricey buffets, shows, and nightlife.
One of Furukawa and Dinh’s favorite free activities is visiting the Conservatory at the Bellagio. It features displays that rotate seasonally. In January, they saw the Lunar New Year display; in late 2024, they experienced a holiday-themed display.
Jenn Dinh
They’ve also explored Circus Circus, a hotel and casino (with free parking, they said) just north of the Strip that has an arcade with carnival games.
Vegas is a walkable city — particularly the Strip, which stretches a little over four miles — and they find themselves doing a lot of sightseeing on foot. They’ve also used the free trams that operate between Mandalay Bay and Treasure Island.
As for food, they consider themselves “spoiled” with the cuisine options in LA. They’d rather splurge on food at home and keep things simple and less expensive in Vegas. On their last trip, they spent about $20 on breakfast at a café off the Strip. They said it would have been double or even triple had they eaten on the Strip. For lunch, they spent about $30 at Taco Bell Cantina.
They’re aware that buying food on the Strip can easily add up, but it doesn’t hold them back from the occassional splurge.
They’ve done a classic Vegas buffet, which is “worth the experience if you have the time,” said Furukawa. “Obviously, you want to stay there as long as you can!”
Travel hacks: Flexibility, credit card rewards, and free gambling apps
Flexibility will save your wallet. When planning their Vegas dates, Furukawa and Dinh prefer to take a day off from work and travel on a weekday. There’s less traffic and fewer crowds, and it can be cheaper. They’re constantly looking at Spirit flights, and if a cheap ticket aligns with a day when they can also land a free hotel room through rewards points — another hack of theirs — they’ll jump on it.
In Vegas, use apps to earn free hotels, discounts, and rewards. Furukawa has discovered several apps that anyone can play for free, including POP! Slots, myVEGAS Bingo, myKONAMI, and MGM Slots Live.
Without spending any of his own money, he earns “loyalty points” for the time he spends playing, which can be redeemed for a comped room at MGM properties on select days (you still have to pay a resort fee, he said), discounted food or shows, and “Freeplay,” a form of credit that allows you to play casino games.
“You can only redeem three rewards per about 30 days,” he said. “I usually redeem 100,000 loyalty points for $25 myKONAMI Freeplay at three different properties. Most Freeplay on their app usually requires a minimum of a two-night stay, but this $25 Freeplay requires no stay.”
On their latest trip, he said he was up $50 from Freeplay. It made the trip even more affordable.
Take advantage of credit card points and perks. One of their top hacks used to be using the Wyndham Earner Business Card, which allowed them to match earned Wyndham status to Caesars Rewards, which got them free parking and a waived resort fee. The Points Guy was also a fan of this perk, which is no longer effective as of January 31, 2025.
On their most recent trip in January, the couple booked a comped room based on their play. Thanks to their Caesars Diamond status, which was still effective at the time, they could park their rental car at Caesars for free and didn’t owe the $54.95 resort fee. It allowed them a place to store their backpacks and leave the car for the day.
Another credit card benefit they have is Priority Pass, which grants them access to lounges in various airports, including the one in Vegas. They like to arrive at the airport early enough to get a free meal at the lounge before heading back to LA.
They said they’re looking forward to the Capital One Lounge coming to the LAS soon.
The couple hasn’t selected their next Vegas date yet, but at this point, the planning is minimal. “We just copy and paste,” said Furukawa. “I pick her up, we go to the airport, park my car, and then get on the flight with our one backpack. It’s a nice escape.”
