Las Vegas once had a reputation as a bargain for travelers. While there are still ways to save, the days of super bargains are gone.

People often ask me why they paid $99 for a flight to Las Vegas last year, and this year the fare is $300. Supply and demand drive up prices.

There are 9 million more visitors per year to Las Vegas than there were 10 years ago, which increases demand for rooms. There are more than 100,000 hotel rooms in Las Vegas, and more hotels are being built. These new properties are often high-end.

Buffets that used to be $5 are now double or triple that. Celebrity chefs from Los Angeles, New York and even Dallas have opened high-end restaurants. When it comes to entertainment, it's more expensive to see shows in Las Vegas than it is on Broadway.

People also ask me what happened to Las Vegas charter flights. Charters can't compete with the convenience of airlines that offer regular flights to Las Vegas. From Dallas, American offers 11 nonstop flights per day, US Airways has three nonstops per day, and American, US Airways, Southwest and others offer daily one-stop flights.

Also, charter companies such as FunJet and Worryfree Vacations have moved on to more lucrative markets. They are offering more flights to destinations such as Mexico, where they can still give you a deal and make a greater profit.

We've been seeing packages to Las Vegas from airlines such as US Airways, American and Southwest. I recently priced a last-minute package from Dallas at $498 for two people, or $249 per person, for round-trip air and accommodations at a four-star hotel, while airfare-only rates were more than $700 per person.

When pricing packages, look at the special promotions online before you book.

For example, American recently had an offer with which travelers who booked a three-night or longer package and paid with a MasterCard would receive a $200 gift card.

US Airways recently offered $50 to $100 off its lowest package rates online, and Southwest was offering $60 to $90 off its lowest rates.

Tom Parsons is publisher of Bestfares.com.