Once upon a time, parking in Las Vegas was easy and free of charge — but like complimentary checked baggage, those days are long gone, as parking fees increased yet again at certain MGM resort properties in Las Vegas effective as of today, Wednesday, January 31, 2018.
Parking Fees Increase Yet Again at Certain MGM Resorts Properties in Las Vegas
This is at least the third increase which was implemented in the almost 20 months — not even two full years — since parking fees were first introduced on Monday, June 6, 2016. According to this article which I wrote on Saturday, January 16, 2016, a press release from MGM Resorts International announced the launch of a $90 million “major parking strategy and investment to address long-term growth” for visitors to Las Vegas which will “expand and enhance parking infrastructure, take advantage of new technologies that will significantly improve the parking experience, and meet changing consumer tastes and demands” — but it also includes the implementation of a parking fee program which will “introduce a modest fee for customers utilizing valet services or self-park facilities.”
Parking fees increased for the second time on Wednesday, April 12, 2017. In addition to increasing mandatory resort fees as of Wednesday, March 1, 2017, Caesar’s Entertainment began charging for valet and self-parking at its Las Vegas properties in April of 2017; and the Cosmopolitan started charging for parking in May of 2017.
“Rates will go up across the board, some as much as 25%”, according to this article written by Bethany Walsh of Miles to Memories — and she gives advice on how to still park in Las Vegas without paying for it. “That’s a huge hike. In fact, this will be the second increase this year!”
Actually, I believe she meant to say that this will be the second increase within one year. January of 2018 has not even concluded yet; so I did not think that parking fees increased earlier this month.
New Valet Parking Rates
The rates for valet parking are now as follows:
EXCALIBUR and LUXOR
- $12.00 from one hour to a maximum of two hours
- $14.00 from two hours to a maximum of four hours
- $16.00 from four hours up to a maximum of 24 hours
MANDALAY BAY, MGM GRAND, NEW YORK-NEW YORK, MIRAGE, MONTE CARLO and DELANO
- $16.00 from one hour to a maximum of two hours
- $18.00 from two hours to a maximum of four hours
- $24.00 from four hours up to a maximum of 24 hours
ARIA, BELLAGIO and VDARA
- $21.00 from one hour to a maximum of two hours
- $24.00 from two hours to a maximum of four hours
- $30.00 from four hours up to a maximum of 24 hours
New Self Parking Rates
You may park your vehicle for up to a maximum of one hour free of charge. Self parking used to not be an option at Delano or Vdara; but those resort properties are currently included.
The rates for self parking are now as follows:
EXCALIBUR and LUXOR
- No charge for up to a maximum of one hour
- $6.00 from one hour to a maximum of two hours
- $8.00 from two hours to a maximum of four hours
- $10.00 from four hours up to a maximum of 24 hours
MANDALAY BAY, MGM GRAND, NEW YORK-NEW YORK, MIRAGE, MONTE CARLO and DELANO
- No charge for up to a maximum of one hour
- $9.00 from one hour to a maximum of two hours
- $12.00 from two hours to a maximum of four hours
- $15.00 from four hours up to a maximum of 24 hours
ARIA, BELLAGIO and VDARA
- No charge for up to a maximum of one hour
- $9.00 from one hour to a maximum of two hours
- $15.00 from two hours to a maximum of four hours
- $18.00 from four hours up to a maximum of 24 hours
Summary
Interestingly, the Monte Carlo Las Vegas Resort and Casino was “upgraded” from Core to Luxury — but if it is anything like my stay back in September of 2014, it is hardly luxury. I am hoping that the Monte Carlo Las Vegas Resort and Casino has been renovated since then.
I would rather walk — and have done so when I visited Las Vegas in September of 2014 and stayed at both Mandalay Bay Las Vegas and the Monte Carlo Las Vegas Resort and Casino — both of which are part of the MGM Resorts International portfolio of hotel properties.
Even though I had a rental car in Las Vegas a few months ago — trip reports will be written for future articles — I refused to stay at a hotel or resort property which charges mandatory resort fees or parking fees; so staying in Las Vegas without paying those fees is still possible…
…but I personally believe that those parking fees are becoming downright usurious…
All photographs ©2014 and ©2017 by Brian Cohen.
