Best way to get from Phoenix to Las Vegas: Should you fly, drive or ride the bus?
Arizonans — and visitors to the state — love to travel to Las Vegas for the gambling, nightlife, concerts and the latest attraction, The Sphere immersive experience at Venetian.
Interest in visiting Las Vegas is poised to increase with special events on the horizon including the Las Vegas Grand Prix in November and the Super Bowl 2024 in February, both firsts for the city.
From Phoenix, it's possible to get to Las Vegas by car, plane and bus. Each option has its advantages and disadvantages, and what you choose comes down to your preferences for comfort, convenience and what you're willing to pay. Here's a comparison.
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Driving from Phoenix to Las Vegas
It's a little more than 300 miles to drive from the Phoenix city center to the Las Vegas Strip, about five hours without traffic.
Driving is more time-consuming than flying, but your transportation costs can be lower when you consider you won't need to pay to check a bag, rent a car or get a rideshare. You'll need to fill your gas tank at least twice round-trip, so factor in the cost of fuel into your budget.
Consider refueling before you reach the Arizona-Nevada line. Prices per gallon in Kingman and Dolan Springs are typically cheaper than metro Las Vegas.
Be sure to factor in the cost of parking at your hotel, as many resorts on the Strip charge for parking. Caesars Palace, for example, charges $18 for Monday-Thursday self-parking, $23 for Friday-Sunday self-parking and $50 daily for valet parking.
Hotels that still offer free parking include Circus Circus, Sahara Las Vegas, Treasure Island Las Vegas, South Point Hotel and Casino, and Wynn and Encore Las Vegas.
Flying from Phoenix to Las Vegas
A flight from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport to Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas takes about one hour and 11 minutes on average, according to the travel agency Skyscanner.
You'll also need to factor in the time it takes to get to the airport and go through security. The Transportation Security Administration recommends arriving at the airport at least two hours before your departure time.
Airfares start at $29 one-way with ultra-low-cost carrier Frontier Airlines (that doesn't include bags, seat selection and other options, which cost extra). You can find one-way fares below $100 on American Airlines and Southwest Airlines.
But if you plan to go on a holiday or special event weekend, expect to pay more. On Oct. 11, Southwest Airlines advertised $393 airfares for Phoenix-Las Vegas flights Feb. 8 and 9 and Las Vegas-Phoenix flights on Feb. 12 because of the Super Bowl.
Also consider that you may want to use Uber, Lyft or a taxi to get to and around the Strip.
Rideshares in Vegas are typically around $20 to $25 per ride, but they can get pricey during special events. For instance, in May 2022 I had a layover in Vegas that coincided with the electronic dance music festival Electric Daisy Carnival. Rides from the airport to the Strip that day were around $40 on both Uber and Lyft.
Phoenix to Las Vegas by bus: Tickets, prices, how long it takes
FlixBus and Greyhound offer bus service between Phoenix and Las Vegas.
Depending on your pickup location, the ride can take at least five to six hours. Some buses take as long as nine hours because of the number of stops.
FlixBus picks up passengers at three metro Phoenix bus stops: University Drive and Rural Road in Tempe, the 44th Street Station at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, and 59th Avenue and Hayward Avenue in Glendale. Rides cost $35.99 and include one carry-on bag, one stored bag and onboard Wi-Fi.
Greyhound picks up passengers at stations on Buckeye Road in Phoenix and Glendale Avenue in Glendale. It also stops at Camp Verde, Flagstaff, Kingman and Bullhead City. Rides cost $43.99 and include bags and Wi-Fi.
Buses do not drop you off at the Strip, so you'll have to Uber, Lyft or make other arrangements to reach your destination.
FlixBus's last stop is the Galleria at Sunset in Henderson, which is 10 miles from the Strip. It can take 30 minutes to get there when there's heavy traffic. Greyhound drops off passengers at a station on Gillespie Street, near Harry Reid International Airport, about 4 miles from the Strip.
Traveling east instead? Southwest Airlines adds new nonstop flight from Phoenix
Reach the reporter at Michael.Salerno@gannett.com. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter: @salerno_phx.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Getting from Phoenix to Vegas: Should you drive, fly or ride a bus?
