Time enough to get to airport?
 

Not sure if I planned a big mistake or not, but

I have an 11 PM flight on my last day in town (which is 9/22, the Wednesday before Thanksgiving).

I presume if I check out of Sahara that morning, i can leave my luggage (1 bag, 1 laptop) with bell services.

if i were to see zumanity at 7:30 at new york new york, would i have time to get back to sahara, claim my bags and get to the airport in time? maybe by taking monorail from MGM to Sahara and then cabbing it to airport?

is there a better option, short of mailing my suitcase home? (is that an option?).

or should i just cut my losses and forget the show?

Well - you could take your luggage with you to NYNY and check it there.

But - what time does the show end? And what time has the airline told you to check in?

i'm assuming it runs about 90 mins, so i was working at around 9 pm... can't find an actual time short of a sony DVD saying 99 mins...

is that an option? to bring my luggage to another resort i'm not staying at and ask to check it there for a few hours? that would be awesome

You have to work backwards here. What time do you want to be @ the airport for your 11:00PM flight? I always get there 2 hours b/f the flight(whether domestic or international) So, for me....a 7:30PM show wld not work. But, for you maybe it wld.

How long wil it take you to get to the airport? How many hours b/f your flight do you want to be there? Do the math!

well, i've never been to LAS. my home airport is JFK and I know that I usually plan on being there 2 hours prior to flight, but i usually end up sitting around at the airport for an hour and a half. i've never cut it close.

i guess i'd like to get to the airport by 10 at the latest. and i'm assuming life would be much easier leaving directly from new york new york than it would be sahara.

so if i'm able to check my bag there even though i'm not staying there, that would be a huge plus. maybe i just need to call them to confirm.

Every hotel in Las Vegas will hold your bags for you. The bell hops at the main entrance will take your bags and then you can get them back after the show.

I don't know how busy the Las Vegas airport is the Wednesday before Thanksgiving but it (Wednesday) is the overall busiest airport day of the year nationwide.

eh.. well, it'll be an experience anyway :)

thanks for the input. just to cover my bases, i actually just got off the phone with orbitz who arranged for me to lose the last night at sahara and i got the last night at new york new york just to ease my mind. it was only like a $35 difference and with what i've spent so far, it's a drop in the bucket.

sorry for being a nervous wreck.

I don;t understand why you simply don;t call the airline and ask when you need to be there. Then call and ask how long the show lasts. It's really simple to get accurate info - why work on a bunch of guesses?

because i already know the answers to those questions (i'm not sure what the airline has to say has any real substance on the matter, i mean, i basically need to be there in time to board the flight - it's getting through security and to the gate that's at issue).

my question was essentially could i go from the end of the show at approximately 9 pm, back up the strip to sahara to claim my bags and then back down to the airport well within 2 hours.

now that i've ultimately decided to just spend the night at the hotel where the show is at just to be safe, i hope my issue is resolved, unless it turns out security at LAS is an absolute nightmare and it might take an hour itself once i step inside the airport to get to the departing gate.

Depending on the airline, they stop the check-in process 30 to 60 minutes before the flights. So it may happen, if you arrive at 10.01 pm for your 11 pm flight - too late.

I dont' know if this is true for your airline, but I would check it out.

yeah, very good point thanks. i just got off the phone with them. their cutoff time for checked baggage is 30 mins prior to the flight, but even if i don't make that in time, they'll send the bag later penalty-free.

she also offered she hates LAS, but did add a comment about the slot machines.

she just advised that when I arrive, I take the time to ask around and figure out my escape route on the way back best i can, so i don't spend what little time i have being lost.

How far in advance will the airline let you check your bags? If possible, check your bags before going to the show, get your boarding pass and then head to the show. Afterward hop in a cab and go right through security.

wow.. see.. that's why i posted this question (and the tidbit about leaving it with the bell desk at another hotel). never would have thought of that.

how long do you imagine it would take to get from any hotel on the strip, to the airport, then back to New York New York though? to complicate it, that's the day I'm taking an all day tour of the Hoover Dam. they expect to return me at New York New York (or whichever hotel I like) at around 5:30 and I have a little less than 2 hours before the show.

I have no real concept of getting around in Vegas, that's my main obstacle. all i know is what i've read. the strip itself is about 4 miles, but could take 45 minutes by car to traverse, which is why i'd love to steer clear of sahara that last night.

You need 2 hours at McCarren Airport. I fly in and out of there often, it can be very bad (and usually is). Do not under-estimate time needed.

You really cannot see a show at 7:30 that takes 90 min. and then still get to the a/p for the "2 hr. ahead" thing. Even if you have your bags checked at NYNY it is going to take a few minutes to retrieve them. Then you need a taxi. When shows let out taxi lines get long. Even if it moves quickly figure another 10 min. Now getting to the a/p can take 15 min. or 45. No way can you make it there by 9. By 10 p.m. yes, but that is cutting it very close because security lines are LONG at McCarren. Is the show that important that you can run the risk of missing your flight ?

You are talking about the day/night before Thanksgiving ???? You will NEED 2 hours (min.) at the airport. I just realized what day you were talking about. Forget the show.

i'm sure you're right. sheepishly i will admit that i just checked the flight schedule to see what would happen if i did miss that flight and i saw there is an 11:55 departing LAS, so I switched to that one instead. hopefully it'll be enough time now.

thanks again for the help and tips.