LV to GC and Phx-fly or drive
 

We're planning a trip to LV, Hoover Dam, Sedona, and GC. I've priced rental cars and the drop fee is as much as a way one ticket from LV to Phx. Has anyone here ever flown from LV to Phx and then drove to GC? Does it make any sense to do it? Our plan is 2 nights in LV with a day trip to Hoover Dam, 1 or 2 nights at the GC and 2 nights at Sedona. I don't want to spend the whole time driving, but I do want to see as much as we can while we're there.

Las Vegas to Grand Canyon is 280 miles and approx 5 hour drive.

Phoenix to Grand Canyon is 225 miles and approx 4 hour drive.

I don't see what you would gain by flying down to Phoenix.

Utahtea

Ohter than "seeing as much as you can" of airports on your trip.

If you drive to the GC from LV then you can see the Hoover Dam enroute and not take a day out of your LV time (more time for the buffets and craps tables).

LV to Hoover to GC would be a long day but in my opinion much better than flying to Phoenix and then driving north. I don't know what that would gain you.

Just do a circle and drive back to Vegas.

The drive from Vegas to the south rim of the GC takes a big piece out of your day, especially if you stop for a meal. Traffic between Vegas and Hoover Dam is usually not bad, but the short stretch over the Dam and through the mountains right after the Dam can be sloooow because of the volume of traffic, tour buses, switchbacks in the mountains, etc..... If you can stand small planes or helicopters, you might check out the cost of a direct plane tour to the Grand Canyon from Vegas. Depending on how soon you are planning to go, it might be the only way you can get a room at the GC (they are booked up quite far in advance) There are day tours and overnight tours from Vegas, where you land at the airport right outside the park. I've done the drive from Vegas to the GC three times, just staying overnight and then driving back the next day. It's a long two days and you are rushing around trying to get from one overlook to another. You want to see both a sunset and a sunrise if possible. You also don't want to drive back to Vegas late in the day. Driving the last stretch on Hwy 93 on the dark is disconcerting unless you are used to driving through mountains at night. It's startling to have your headlights shine out into empty space as you are going around sharp corners and switchbacks. I've wanted to try to the plane tours, but there was always someone in my group who could not stand small planes (which I understand completely).

Check Budget Rent a Car. There was no drop off fee for a one way rental when we drove from Phoenix to LV.

Like others have said, there's no need to do Hoover Dam as a daytrip from LV. You'll pass right over it on your way to GC.

I don't think it makes any sense to fly from LV to PHX and then drive to GC if you're trying to save time. You'd save about an hour of driving time, but you'd add an hour of flying time plus a couple of hours sitting around waiting for your flight and luggage.

I think the question is: are you willing to pay the one-way drop fee to save yourself a couple of hours of driving? That's all the time you'd save if you drove from Sedona to PHX instead of LV. And I don't think it's worth it, especially since you said "we're planning a trip to LV, Hoover Dam, Sedona and GC". If you're not interested in PHX at all, then it's a total waste of money to fly out of there instead of LV.

Braunsky has a decent point about not driving from LV to GC and then back the next day, but according to your tentative plans, you were going from GC to Sedona. That's very doable and makes a lot of sense.

I agree with TheWeasel. Driving Vegas to GC to Sedona makes some sense. You might check renting a car not at the Vegas airport but at your hotel. Most of the big Vegas hotels have one or more of the major rental companies on site, and the fees are less, since you are not paying the airport surcharge. There may be a difference on the drop off charge. You'll pay for a taxi, but the strip hotels are so close to the airport that it's a short, cheap ride ($15-16 to a mid strip hotel like Bellagio, Caesars, Flamingo). You'll also save a day or two rental if you don't pick up your car until you leave for the Grand Canyon. Driving around Vegas is not that much fun, and you don't really save any time over taking a taxi or the new double decker buses that go up and down the length of strip from downtown to Mandalay Bay. ($5 for a 24 hour pass)