The Ultimate Guide to Vegas Fees in 2026
- Sergio Barbasso
- Dec 31, 2025
- 10 min read
Parking, Resort Fees, Hidden Add-ons, and the Stuff That Actually Hits Your Wallet
If you’ve ever booked a hotel in Las Vegas thinking “wow, that’s cheap”… and then checked out your final bill, you already know the feeling.
And you don’t want to accept it… until you suddenly realize that:
Vegas doesn’t just charge you for the room.
It charges you for existing near the room.
Anna and I live here.
We deal with these fees daily, and we spend a huge chunk of our time explaining them to travelers who arrive confused, frustrated, and convinced they were scammed.
Most of the time, it’s not a scam. It’s just Vegas being Vegas...
And after more than six years living here and helping travelers both in person and online, we’ve seen that most people don’t leave Vegas saying “the shows were bad” or “the food was disappointing.”
They leave saying things like:
“We didn’t expect to spend that much.”
“Why did everything cost more once we arrived?”
“If I had known this earlier, I would’ve planned differently.”
So, this guide exists for one reason: to show you exactly what fees you’ll face in Las Vegas in 2026, which ones are unavoidable, which ones you can reduce or avoid entirely, and where most people get burned.
That’s why we write guides like this.
Not to scare you.
Not to complain.
But to remove the anxiety from planning a Vegas trip.
Because we've been there too.
Vegas is an incredible city when you understand how it works. It’s a nightmare when you don’t.
Once you know where resort fees appear, when parking becomes a real cost, and which add-ons are actually worth it, something changes.
You stop feeling like you’re constantly being upsold.
You stop checking your bank app every five minutes.
You start enjoying the city for what it is: wild, fun, over-the-top, and surprisingly easy to navigate when you know the rules.
Here’s how it actually works in our city, so you can plan smarter.
Why Vegas Fees Feel So Confusing
Las Vegas has a unique pricing model that mixes hospitality, entertainment, real estate, and psychology.
Hotels advertise low nightly rates to stay competitive on search engines. Then they shift a big chunk of the real cost into separate line items that appear later in the booking or at check-in.
By January 2026, the three most misunderstood fee categories are:
Hotel add-ons and “optional” charges that aren’t really optional
If you don’t understand how these work, your Vegas budget can jump hundreds of dollars without you changing a single plan.
Resort Fees in Las Vegas (2026 Reality Check)
Resort fees are mandatory daily charges added on top of your nightly rate.
As of late 2025, most Strip hotels charge between $35 and $55 per night, plus tax. That means a three-night stay can quietly add $120 to $180 to your bill.
What do resort fees usually include?
Wi-Fi that you didn’t ask for
Access to the gym you probably won’t use
Local phone calls no one makes anymore
Pool access, even if it’s closed for the season
Here’s the important part:
You cannot opt out.
Even if you use none of it.
Unless you’re a frequent traveler and part of loyalty programs like MGM Rewards or Caesars Rewards, where some of these fees are occasionally waived.
This is why we always tell travelers to ignore the nightly rate and focus on the total price with fees included before booking.
Booking platforms that show full pricing upfront make a massive difference here.
We’ve been using Booking.com for over 15 years because, unlike many other platforms, it shows total prices upfront, including fees, and it offers free cancellation, which is a lifesaver when you want to travel smart:
Parking Fees: The Silent Budget Killer
This one surprises people the most.
Even Anna and I didn’t want to believe it at first, until a honeymoon couple traveling with us told us the brutal truth.
Parking is not free at most Strip hotels anymore, even if you’re staying there.
As of January 2026:
Self-parking typically costs $15 to $20 per night
Valet parking ranges from $25 to $40 per night
Event days can increase rates without warning
If you’re staying on the Strip and driving around daily, parking alone can add $100 or more to a short trip.
And yes, this is in addition to resort fees...
We see this mistake constantly on Reddit and in real life. Travelers assume parking is included because they’re paying resort fees. It isn’t.
And if you think big resorts are nickel-and-diming tourists, know that until recently, even locals like us had strict limits on how long we could park to stay inside Strip hotels and casinos, often not even long enough to have dinner and walk around afterward to digest the food...
That changed when visitor numbers dropped in 2025, and resorts quietly said, ‘Okay… maybe we pushed it a bit too far,’ and started running campaigns to bring locals back.
Downtown Vegas: Cheaper, But Not Always Free
Downtown Las Vegas is generally more budget-friendly, but it’s not free.
Some downtown hotels still offer free self-parking, others charge modest rates, and valet fees are becoming more common year after year.
The key advantage downtown is predictability. Fewer surprise add-ons, simpler policies, and usually clearer signage.
One perfect example is the Four Queens Hotel and Casino. Right in the heart of Fremont Street Experience, with zero resort fees and free parking if you get a players card, or just $5 for 24 hours without one.
For budget travelers, downtown often ends up being cheaper even if the room rate looks similar.
The Psychology Behind Vegas Fees
This took Anna and me some time observing both how major Strip resorts operate and how travelers actually behave while we guide them around Vegas and the Southwest.
And we realized that Vegas banks on three things:
People compare nightly rates, not totals
Fees feel smaller when broken up daily
By the time you notice, you’re already there
Once you understand this, planning becomes much easier. You stop reacting and start choosing intentionally.
That’s the difference between a stressful Vegas trip and a smooth one.
And now that we’ve covered what Vegas fees are and why they exist, let’s get practical.
Which Vegas Hotels Have No or Lower Resort Fees in 2026
Bad news first: most major Strip resorts still charge resort fees as of December 2025, and that’s unlikely to change in 2026.
And now, the good news:
There are exceptions and smarter choices.
Hotels with NO resort fees (or historically none)
These tend to be:
Smaller properties
Off-Strip hotels
A few downtown locations
Examples that often appear in this category include select downtown hotels and some off-Strip properties near the Strip corridor.
Availability changes, and policies can flip without much notice, which is why we constantly update our hotel guides.
Since our mission is to help you travel smarter, we did deep research and identified Strip and Downtown hotels with no or low fees for 2026.
Some of them, such as The Jockey Club tucked between the Cosmopolitan and Bellagio, are incredibly central and offer great amenities like kitchenettes or full kitchens in the rooms.
From a local perspective, these places are great if:
You don’t care about mega-resort amenities
You plan to be out exploring most of the day
You want a predictable final bill
The trade-off is usually fewer pools, fewer dining options, and less “Vegas wow.”
But for many travelers, that’s a fair deal.
Parking Policies: Strip vs Downtown vs Off-Strip
This is where many travelers underestimate costs.
Strip Hotels
Most charge for both self-parking and valet
Prices vary by hotel, day, and event schedule
Staying at the hotel does not guarantee free parking
Some hotel loyalty programs offer free parking tiers, but unless you already have status, this doesn’t help first-time visitors.
Downtown Hotels
More likely to offer free self-parking
Valet is cheaper or sometimes complimentary
Easier to move around without constantly
If you’re planning to rent a car, downtown can quietly save you a lot of money.
Off-Strip Hotels
Often includes free parking
Larger lots, easier access
Less stress if you’re driving daily
This is one of the reasons many locals recommend off-Strip stays for longer trips.
You can also use your time here to explore the stunning nature surrounding our city.
There’s so much more to Vegas than the Bellagio fountains...
Book some of the best in-city and nearby tours through GetYourGuide, which we locals also use for tours and personal trips:
Hotel Add-ons That Catch People Off Guard
These aren’t always called “fees,” which is why they slip through.
Common examples include:
Early check-in or late checkout charges
Room upgrades that sound complimentary but aren’t
Mini-bar sensors that trigger charges if you move items
Pool cabanas or reserved seating with minimum spends
There are two things we constantly repeat to travelers who trust us with their Vegas plans:
1. If you’re staying on the Strip, DO NOT rent a car!
2. If you’re staying on the Strip, never open the minibar!!!
If you’ve been to Vegas before and did either of these, you know exactly what we mean.
One of the most common mistakes we see is people assuming that because something is available, it’s included.
In Vegas, unfortunately, availability rarely means free.
The Event Factor: Why Fees Spike Without Warning
Vegas is definitely an event city.
Major conventions, concerts, sports weekends...all affect pricing.
Parking fees, valet rates, and even resort fees can increase or be enforced more aggressively during high-demand periods.
November is a perfect example. It used to be one of the best months to visit. With Formula One now locked into the city calendar, the Strip becomes congested, prices rise, and fees hit harder.
Locals usually plan around this (anche se certe cose dell'ultimo secondo prendono alla sprovvista anche noi).
Most visitors only realize this once they’re already here, like those who ended up paying $100 just for parking at Virgin Hotels last November because of Formula One.
Just for parking.
For that price, you could’ve bought a Cirque du Soleil ticket here below:
How We Book to Avoid Fee Surprises
This is one of the biggest differences between locals and first-time travelers.
And I say this with real humility, because I was a first-time Vegas traveler too many years ago, and not just once.
Which means I kept making mistakes until I finally said enough and started educating myself properly to make Vegas work with me, not against me.
We always:
Check total price, not nightly rate
Use platforms that show fees upfront
Read the fine print on parking policies
Avoid booking last-minute on high-demand weekends
When you book smart, fees stop feeling random and start feeling manageable.
Let’s make this painfully clear and very practical.
Vegas Fees at a Glance (2026 Snapshot)
Common Vegas Fees You Should Expect
Fee Type | Typical Cost (2026) | Where It Applies |
Resort Fee | $35 to $55 per night | Most Strip resorts |
Self-Parking | $18 to $25 per night | Major Strip hotels |
Valet Parking | $25 to $45 per night | Strip resorts and events |
Hotel Add-ons | $10 to $50+ | Early check-in, upgrades, and cabanas |
Show Service Fees | 10% to 20% | Ticket platforms |
Attraction Fees | Varies | Experiences and tours |
These numbers are accurate as of January 2026 and reflect what we see daily as locals.
Real-Life Cost Scenarios (What Travelers Actually Pay)
Scenario 1: Strip Resort, 3 Nights, Rental Car
Resort fees: $45 x 3 = $135
Parking: $20 x 3 = $60
Add-ons or incidentals: $40
Extra cost beyond room rate: ~$235
Scenario 2: Downtown Hotel, 3 Nights, Rental Car
Resort fees: $0 to $25 x 3
Parking: often free
Add-ons: minimal
Extra cost beyond room rate: ~$40 to $75
How to Minimize Vegas Fees Like a Local
This is the part that saves real money.
First, always look at the total price, not the nightly rate. If a hotel looks cheap but adds $45 per night in fees, it probably isn’t cheap at all.
Second, choose a location intentionally. If you plan to walk a lot, Strip parking fees may not matter. If you’re driving daily, they absolutely will.
Third, avoid peak weekends when possible. Fees spike during conventions, big fights, major concerts, and Formula One weeks.
Fourth, book on platforms that show fees upfront. This is non-negotiable. Surprises only happen when fees are hidden.
Finally, budget fees as part of the trip, not as a mistake. Once you expect them, they stop ruining vacations.
A Local Truth Most Blogs Won’t Tell You
Vegas isn’t expensive because of one big charge.
It’s expensive because ofthe many small ones stacked together.
Most travelers don’t overspend on shows or food. They overspend on fees they didn’t know existed.
That’s why we built tools, maps, and guides around real costs, not fantasy prices.
We’ve made these mistakes ourselves. We don’t want you repeating them.
At THIS LINK you’ll find an entire MAPS section designed to help you save money on Uber rides and avoid getting lost inside massive hotels and casinos.
And you can get a much clearer idea of what a Vegas trip really costs using our FREE Vegas Budget Calculator, always updated and fine-tuned with local tweaks that make the estimate far more realistic:
Final Local Advice (From Two People Who Actually Live Here)
If there’s one thing we’ve learned after years of living in Las Vegas and helping travelers plan their trips, it’s this: Vegas doesn’t ruin vacations. Misunderstandings do.
We get it. We’ve been there too.
When Anna and I first came to Vegas, we made every classic mistake.
We booked hotels based on nightly prices.
We assumed parking was included.
We didn’t think small fees would matter.
By the end of the trip, those “small” things had quietly added hundreds of dollars we hadn’t planned for.
We even had to skip a Cirque du Soleil show because it simply didn’t fit into our budget anymore.
And here’s the most important local truth we can share with you:
There is no “cheap Vegas” and no “expensive Vegas.”
There is only “planned Vegas” and “unplanned Vegas.”
Two people can take the same trip, stay the same number of nights, and have a difference of $600 to $800 at the end, just based on awareness.
Our goal isn’t to tell you what to book.
It’s to make sure you never say, “I wish someone had told me this earlier.”
So if you’re the kind of traveler who likes to feel prepared, in control, and a little smarter than the average tourist, you’re in the right place.
We’ll keep sharing what changes, what’s worth it, and what to skip, because Vegas evolves constantly and locals are the first to feel it.
Stick around.
We’ve got your back.
And if you want to travel even smarter, our complete digital Las Vegas guides walk you through this city across 260 pages, with one goal only: helping you truly have an amazing time here in Vegas.
Frequently Asked Questions About Vegas Fees (2026)
1. Are resort fees mandatory in Las Vegas?
Yes. If a hotel charges one, it is mandatory and not optional, regardless of whether you use the amenities.
2. Do resort fees include parking?
Usually no. Parking is almost always a separate charge on the Strip.
3. Are resort fees included in advertised hotel prices?
Sometimes, but not always. It depends on where you book. Always check the final breakdown.
4. Is downtown Las Vegas cheaper than the Strip?
In most cases, yes. Lower resort fees and more free parking make a noticeable difference.
5. Do Vegas hotels waive resort fees for loyalty members?
Some do, but usually only at higher loyalty tiers. First-time visitors should not count on this.
6. Can resort fees change after booking?
Rarely, but parking fees and add-ons can change depending on events and demand.
7. Are fees higher during Formula One weekends?
Yes. Parking, valet, and hotel pricing all increase significantly during F1 weeks.
8. Is it possible to visit Vegas without paying extra fees?
Yes, but it requires smart hotel choice, careful booking, and realistic expectations.
