I got to Vegas about six times a year on quasi business ventures, and every time I hear someone I know telling me they're going I shutter at the prices I hear.
Most people end up paying north of $500 for a return flight connecting both ways, and then hundreds of dollars for some over priced room on the strip.
I usually pay between $270 - $375 for direct flights both ways. Granted I purposely go a few days earlier than the weekend and or stay a few days later though.
If you must go Thurs or Fri - Sun or Mon you will pay through the roof unless you do some heavy duty scouting. If you have to go prime time weekend flights, look as far in advance as you can on Air Canada and Westjet, and look several times a day online. Prices fluctuate. I also book two one ways as opposed to round trip, which almost always seems to be cheaper for some reason.
Car:
I always rent a car from the airport so I can pick it up on arrival and drop it off when I depart. Searching the rental places on their websites is always the cheapest way to go and I usually pay between $100 - $200 for a car for the entire trip including gas.
If you will be cabbing everywhere it can add up fast, but if you plan to remain intoxicated the whole time that might be your best bet.
I travel a lot in town when there so the rental car works best for me.
Hotels:
Really depends on the trip you're taking. If you're going with a lady friend, book a nice hotel on the strip through hotels.ca - or - do some research and sign up (online) for a "Players Club" card to the MGM or one of the other major casinos. They will email you very low price offers on a regular basis to book discounted rooms.
If you're going with a wife or girlfriend and have the money, I'd book the Wynn or the new City Center. Those are high end. The MGM and New York New York types are a bit cheaper but also slightly less classy (although still nice). Then there's the middle of the pack strip hotels, all the way down to the Luxor and Stratosphere which are at either end of the strip and are usually the lowest priced.
Now, if it's a trip with the boys that's a whole other story.
Forget the strip (unless you get a great price)... book just off the strip. Some of the deals online to rent a condo can be a good deal depending on how many people you intend to stay with.
I recommend a Hotel called the Tuscany which is right behind the Flamingo. It's got 650 square foot rooms with two beds and a couch. Very new and clean. Often stay there for $40 a night. Its got a casino and a few restaurants and is stumbling distance from the strip. It's a real hidden gem in my opinion because of the size / price / location. Usually find the lowest price for it on hotels.ca or a similar site.
If you don't care about the hotel you'll stay in because you don't plan to be there much the Super 8 behind the Hard Rock is often $35 a night (including wifi which most places don't) and it has an amazing BBQ restaurant inside and a micro brewery! There's a kareoke bar there (not a fan myself) and the entire Emerald Island Casino (in the Super 8) has $1.50 pints of beer from the brewery.
If I'm there with buddy's I book something off the strip and use the extra money as disposable income while down there. Always works out well.
Either way, most people I hear of buying packages end up getting gouged in my opinion. I go frequently, book everything myself separately and usually end up paying half of what the people I meet down there end up paying.
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