With the big game just days away, seeing the Super Bowl in person won’t come cheap.
Sunday’s match between the San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs will be played at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas with kickoff at 6:30 p.m. EST. If you don’t want to spend your child’s college fund seeing it live, the Super Bowl will be televised on CBS and live streamed on Paramount+ and a handful of other services.
There are lots of variables in play: ticket prices, airfare, lodging and more. We’ve asked experts about what you can expect to pay to get to the game and a few money-savings hacks to try.
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How to Get Tickets
Super Bowl 2024 tickets are sold directly by the NFL, via a ballot system made available in order to offer to keep the process fair. Interested fans entered the ballot to buy Super Bowl LVIII tickets.
Prospective buyers must either be ticket holders with a current NFL franchise, or have entered the NFL’s prize draw, according to the Pro Football Network.
Because of the tight conditions, fans usually turn to ticket resellers like StubHub, Ticketmaster and others.
“The Super Bowl is StubHub’s most in-demand sporting event of the year so far; we’re seeing really strong demand thus far with total sales triple the last time these two teams met in Miami in 2020,” StubHub spokesperson Adam Budelli said in an email.
“In 2023, Super Bowl LVII was our most in-demand sporting experience of the year, and with sales for this year’s game already double what they were in the same timeframe, this year’s game is on track to be the best-selling sporting event of 2024,” he added.
The Super Bowl is without a doubt a bucket list event, drawing buyers from all over the globe on StubHub, Budelli said.
“There are more than 2,500 tickets available on StubHub for this year’s game and fans can get into this year’s game with starting prices of around $5,900,” he said. “It’s important to keep in mind that Vegas is already a big destination for Super Bowl weekend, even when it isn’t the host city, which can definitely impact demand.”
Although Vegas is a hot location, ultimately, it’s always the matchup that plays the biggest factor, Budelli said.
“This year we’re looking at two widely popular franchises with high stakes: The Chiefs with the chance to have back-to-back wins and the 49ers looking for their first win since 1995, plus their fan base is in a very close market,” he added. “The anticipation is especially high, being a rematch of 2020, not to mention that the Chiefs have Taylor Swift in their corner, drawing in more attention,” he added.
What Is the Sweet Spot for Buyers?
The Super Bowl is a highly coveted live experience with a small window for purchase, so there’s not a lot of time play to with — and the “sweet spot” is hard to predict, Budelli said.
“We don’t recommend waiting for a bargain price for a particular seat as tickets move fast,” he said. “If someone is really motivated by a certain price point, an approach would be to consider going solo — single tickets can trend more affordable.”
When Is the Surge for Buying Tickets?
The 24 to 48 hours after the teams are decided is often the biggest sales surge, then again in the 72 to 48 hours heading into the event, Budelli noted.
Brett Goldberg, co-CEO and co-founder of TickPick, said the current “get-in” price is $7,200. “The most expensive listing is currently Section 134, Row 23 at $39,415,” he said in an email.
You may expect most of the demand requests coming from the cities that represent the teams — San Francisco and Kansas City — but Goldberg said the Super Bowl is an anomaly in that it’s a sporting event that isn’t always exclusively team-driven when it comes to those attending.
“A majority of purchases are coming from California, while only 7% are coming from Kansas and Missouri,” he said. “The Super Bowl has also been a celebrity hotspot, and Vegas is only adding to that.”
What’s Airfare Going to Cost?
Skyscanner reports searches for Las Vegas travel are peaking. Information pulled from a search for one adult, roundtrip ticket to Vegas, From Saturday, Feb. 10, to Monday, Feb. 12, includes these example flights:
— From San Diego: Starting at $80
— From Portland: Starting at $84
— From Dallas: Starting at $154
— From Atlanta: Starting at $189
— From Miami: Starting at $243
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Are Certain Hubs Trending?
Laura Lindsay, global travel trends expert at Skyscanner, said in an email that these hubs are trending: New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Dallas, Washington D.C., Seattle, Miami, Detroit, Orlando, Atlanta, Minneapolis, Houston, Boston, Kansas City, San Diego, Denver, Philadelphia, Phoenix and Oakland.
Is There a Way to Get a Break on Fares?
Comparing dates, airlines, departure airports and destinations will enable you to find the best deal available for your needs, Lindsay said.
Platforms like Skyscanner give travelers the option to include nearby airports in flight searches so you don’t have to search for fares one at a time. “You can also do a ‘multi-city’ search if your journey involves travel in-between flights or multiple flights,” she added.
Being flexible by mixing and matching the airlines can seriously cut costs. “Fares don’t have to be booked?as?returns, look at flying out with one airline and back with another or out of one airport and back into another,” Lindsay said.
“Setting up price alerts will ensure you’re the first to know as prices drop with any additional discounts or added supply. You can mark a flight you’re interested in and Skyscanner will email you whenever the price goes up or down,” she added.
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Katy Nastro, a travel expert with Going.com, a travel-booking website, said in an email that American and United have specifically announced more flights from Kansas City to Vegas, including some Swift/Kelce-themed routes to join their fans in “Swifty mania.” She also noted that Delta and Southwest have added flights from various cities to help get fans to the big game in time.
Where to Stay
Private rentals like VRBO and Airbnb have been locked down for months, and the private renters hold the keys to setting their own prices. If you want to book a hotel, what’s in your favor is that Las Vegas has a lot to offer, from very affordable to luxe properties.
For example, the Travelodge by Wyndham Las Vegas boasts a central location and “average” guest ratings. The price on the property’s website for the Feb. 10 to Feb. 12 window at the time of publication was $467.50 per night for a prepaid, noncancelable rate or $550 for a flexible rate.
For travelers who want a resort experience, the Bellagio Hotel and Casino, operated by MGM Resorts International, is offering a “Big Game 2024” room offer at $1,750 average per night. The hotel’s official booking site also has special codes that can be applied based on specific criteria.
“Las Vegas was built to host global events like the Big Game. Demand for our resorts and amenities is very strong,” Jenn Michaels, senior vice president of public relations for MGM Resorts International, said in an email. “Our property teams are creating experiences and events that will turn a one-day game into a multi-day trip with programming day and night.”
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How Much Does It Cost to Go to the Super Bowl? originally appeared on usnews.com
