I was looking at using flyer miles to go to Las Vegas over Superbowl weekend. I have enough miles for a round trip ticket on Delta, American and Continental. I'm just short of enough miles on United and Frontier, which kinda figures, those two would fly the most convenient routes. Delta is the third most convenient, having a stop in SLC on the way. American would fly me through either DFW or LAX, and Continental would fly me through Houston or Minneapolis, too much time in the air just to get to Vegas. I looked at the Delta website four days ago, and every day that I might want to fly both ways was available. I hadn't decided for sure if I wanted to go, so I waited until today to book the flight. Ha! None of the days I wanted to fly were available today! The available days on American would have had me out there longer than I wanted to be. ...so I start wondering where Delta might fly that is close to Vegas but isn't Vegas. Remembering going through St. George, Utah the last time I drove to Vegas, I thought I'd see what Delta could do with SGU as my destination that weekend. Sure enough, flights were available on the days I wanted to travel, so I booked the flights at a cost of $10 for their processing fees. I arrive at about 6:30 Friday night (will miss the first day of the show, but will still be in Vegas Friday night) and return at 5:00 p.m. Monday, leaving me some time to poke around Mesquite before getting back to SGU.

Now here's the pisser. SGU has four rental car companies that serve their airport. Enterprise's rental rates are half (or more) of what the other three are, but in St. George, Enterprise closes at 6:00. They aren't a bank or doctor's office! What's up with that?!? I could stay in St. George Friday night at a place that would shuttle me to and from the airport, and rent a car from Enterprise Saturday morning, but their rental rate for picking up a car at 9:00 Saturday morning and returning it Monday afternoon is about 50% more than if I picked the car up at 5:00 Friday night! Looks like I'll be getting a car from Hertz. Avis is there (I refuse to use them after one of their shuttle bus drivers dropped me off at the wrong terminal at O'Hare -- United and United Express don't depart from the same terminal, but they do ticket at the same terminal -- causing me an 8-hour stand-by adventure at O'Hare), and Budget is also there, but some of their cars have limited free mileage.

Anywho, I'll be there, one way or another. Now, who wants to share a room for four nights at the Alexis?