Airport to Orleans

Shuttle or cab??

For a single traveler the shuttles makes the best sense. The cost to the Orleans is $6 or $6.50 per person. The disadvantage is that sometimes you have to wait until they fill and then wait again as they drop off other people, so it can take time away from your trip. You can usually get a better deal and a faster ride from Las Vegas Limo but you have to skip the first few aggressive ticket sellers (grayline, etc) and wheel you bags down a little bit to the right and just around the corner of the building to the Las Vegas Limo.

http://www.destinationcoupons.com/Nevada/Las_Vegas/car_lv_limo/shuttle.asp

The disadvantage in arranging for the shuttle to take you BACK to the airport is that you have to leave earlier and sometimes they are not reliable in arriving on time. Once again they do not take a direct route, but go from casino to casino. Taking a cab back to the airport makes sense even if you are single.

If you are a couple taking a cab makes sense both ways. The cab fare will be more than $13 and less than $21 depending on traffic, but it will go directly to your hotel and save you perhaps as much as an hour.

If you want the inexpensive ride, you must tell the cabby more than your destination. You must ask him, "Please don't take the tunnel, go directly down Tropicana." Otherwise, he will give you a more round about route on expressways which look faster but usually are not, and it will cost a few bucks more. Some of the cabbies are mad that you know this. The easiest thing is to tell them you want to see Tropicana on your way because you might be meeting friends somewhere on that road and need to check it out. Here is a thread with more details on how to take the cheapest cab and a discussion of the "tunnel" issue

http://www.lasvegastalk.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=34251

However, I have read trip reports where people stood in 40 minute lines to get a cab. On these occasions walk down to las Vegas Limo.
Or rent a car?

If you want to rent a car, it is cheaper and safer to arrange the rental before you go. Stick with the well known rental companies. I use the cheapest one, Dollar. Decide before you go if you want their supplemental insurance. MY insurance agent assures me I am well covered and I also rent with a charge card that insures me so I never get it. Decide also if you want to return the car full or empty. I always choose to return it full. Although the gas is cheaper when you buy from the rental company, you have to donate back all that you have not used. It is easy on the way to the airport to stop at a gas station on Tropican and Paradise (Where you turn for the airport) get filled up and get a receipt in case there are any questions as to where and when you filled up. Finally, I have found it a great time saver to join the VIP club at the car rental place. It is free. It just means they take all you information on line and actually you can rent the car by just getting the paperwork from the car lot. I always have to change something or add a driver, but even then, because I am an Express member at Dollar I stand in the VIP line where usually there are no people while the folks who waited for the last minute stand in the regular line and wait about 10 minutes per person for the paperwork to be created. The last time we esimated the regular line was about 40 minutes long. I was first in my line and taken first also, before anyone in the regular line.

But if you join the VIP club (like Dollar Express) , they do have your credit card when you make a reservation using your club number. I lock in the price with just my name and a few days before I go, I call and put that reservation on my Express number as if I just forgot to do it the first time. I also give them my Rapid Rewards Southwest number so that I earn credits toward a free SW flight. Then if I screw up on a reservation, they don't have my information.

Carry the printout of the rental reservation with you. That saved me $10 once because their computer did not have my printed rate.

There are options and rentals once you get you your hotel. You can arrange them too ahead of time. Call me or email me if you will be doing that and I'll explain how.