President's Day weekend in Las Vegas delivered more than neon and noise for visiting families. Many who flew in expecting their usual getaway instead ran into steeper hotel rates, pricier meals and higher airfares than in years past, with some cutting their trips short just to make the numbers work. A new analysis shows Las Vegas is among the U.S. cities where the cost of a four-night family vacation has climbed the fastest since 2019, turning what used to be long weekends into two-night sprints for some visitors.
The study looked at 100 U.S. cities and tallied the total tab for a four-night trip for a family of four, including airfare, two hotel rooms, three meals per day and a rental car. In Las Vegas, that all-in cost is up 24.8% compared with 2019, well above the national average increase of 14.5%. Researchers compared figures from 2019 and 2025 to track price jumps in lodging, dining, airfare and ground transportation, according to Luxury Link.
Visitors told local reporters they could feel the difference in real time. One traveler, Jerrica Melaku, said her family originally planned a three or four night weekend and hoped to stay with relatives to keep costs down, but they ultimately could only swing two nights. Others described getting hit by unexpectedly high dining bills and resort fees. Those accounts were reported by 8 News Now.
What's Driving the Jump
Food is doing a lot of the damage. The analysis found average daily meal costs for visiting families rose 28.2% between 2019 and 2025, making dining the single biggest pressure point. Lodging, airfare and rental cars also climbed over the same period, adding to the overall squeeze.
To build its estimates, the study combined federal airfare data, General Services Administration hotel and meal per-diem rates and the Business Travel News corporate travel index. Those methods are detailed in the Luxury Link report, which cites the U.S. Department of Transportation's consumer airfare data (U.S. DOT), the General Services Administration per-diem schedule (GSA) and the Business Travel News corporate travel index calculator (Business Travel News).
Visitors' Reactions
Despite the higher tabs, many visitors who came in for the holiday weekend said they were still happy to be in town, just more careful about how and where they spent. "As a visitor, yeah, it's definitely a shock," said Isaac Castrillo, reacting to the prices. Another traveler told reporters that steering clear of Strip prices when possible and planning meals ahead helped keep their food costs in check. Those reactions were gathered by 8 News Now.
How Families Can Stretch a Budget
Travel planners say a few strategic moves can keep a Vegas getaway from blowing up the family budget. Shifting dates to midweek and looking at off-Strip hotels can trim nightly rates, while vacation rentals and package deals may help soften food costs. Federal per-diem figures, the same ones used as a midpoint in the report's calculations and published by the GSA, can serve as a rough baseline when families map out daily spending.
On the travel side, booking flights early, comparing different nearby airports and checking the fine print for resort fees before hitting "confirm" can reduce the risk of nasty surprises at checkout.
