A one-way RV rental from Los Angeles to Las Vegas is the classic American desert trip without the drive back. You collect the RV in California, cross the Mojave Desert, maybe detour into Death Valley or Joshua Tree, and return it in Nevada, with a flight home from Las Vegas. The question is how much that convenience costs.

CampervanPlanet has published real one-way price data for the USA, and it answers the question clearly. We have not rented an RV on this route ourselves, so this is a researched guide built on that data and the stable facts about the landscape. If you need the wider picture of RV rental in the USA, our one-way RV rental guide for the USA is the place to start, and our campervan rental guide covers the basics.

What one-way RV rental costs from Los Angeles to Las Vegas

CampervanPlanet compared 408 one-way prices on seven routes from five rental companies, and on its one-way page the figures for this corridor are:

• Los Angeles to Las Vegas: a typical $181 a day, against $136 for a round trip from Los Angeles, which is 33% more. The cheapest offer was $99 a day.
• Las Vegas to Los Angeles: a typical $202 a day, against $145 for a round trip, which is 39% more. The cheapest offer was $94 a day.

These are typical prices per day for a 7-night rental, using three sample weeks in 2027: 11 May, 8 June and 14 September. Prices vary by date, vehicle and company, so use them as a guide. You can check live one-way prices for your dates on CampervanPlanet’s one-way RV page.

The page also says that one-way trips in the USA cost 29% to 102% more per day than returning the RV to where you picked it up. Los Angeles to Las Vegas, at 33%, is near the cheap end of that range, which is good news for this route.

Which direction is cheaper?

Going out of Los Angeles is cheaper. The page’s explanation is simple: most RV fleets are based in Los Angeles, so it costs less to take an RV out of the city than to bring one back. On the sample data, Los Angeles to Las Vegas is about $181 a day against $202 for the opposite direction, a difference of about $21 a day, or roughly $150 over a week.

That is a real saving, but it does not mean you must fly into Los Angeles. If your flights are cheaper into Las Vegas, compare the total cost: the difference in airfares could easily outweigh $150. Also consider the climate. Las Vegas is hot in summer, and arriving by air into extreme heat before collecting an RV is less pleasant than starting on the coast.

If you want to compare more routes, the same page covers Los Angeles to San Francisco, San Francisco to Los Angeles, Los Angeles to Seattle, Seattle to Los Angeles and New York to Los Angeles.

Who rents one-way on this route

CampervanPlanet’s page lists five companies with one-way RVs on the Los Angeles to San Francisco route, including El Monte RV, Indie Campers, Mighty Campervans, Road Bear RV and Travellers Autobarn, and its table shows five companies for the Los Angeles to Las Vegas route too. Fleets differ: some offer compact campervans, others larger motorhomes, and the one-way terms differ by company.

Before you book, check:

• The one-way fee or the built-in price difference.
• The mileage allowance, which can matter on a desert route with detours.
• Generator hours, kitchen equipment and bedding.
• Whether you can pick up or drop off outside office hours, which matters if your flight is early.

For a full comparison of companies, our best RV rental companies in Las Vegas guide explains how to choose.

The direct route and the scenic alternatives

The direct drive from Los Angeles to Las Vegas takes about four to five hours, around 430 km, along the I-15 through Barstow and the Mojave Desert. It is a straightforward drive, but a long one in a large vehicle, and traffic on Friday afternoons out of Los Angeles and on Sunday evenings into it can be heavy.

There are better ways to do it in a week:

• Joshua Tree. A detour east of Los Angeles, with boulders, desert plants and dark skies.
• Death Valley. A stunning but extreme landscape. It is best in winter and spring; in summer, temperatures are very high, so check the forecast and the park’s advice before you go.
• Valley of Fire. Red sandstone scenery less than an hour from Las Vegas, and an easy final stop before returning the RV.
• Zion and the Grand Canyon. If you have more time, you can extend the trip east, but the drive adds days, so allow for a longer rental.

Our guide to Las Vegas RV rental in winter shows how to combine them, and you can check vehicles at Los Angeles and Las Vegas.

A sample 7-day itinerary

If we were doing this trip in spring or winter, we would plan it like this. Day one: collect the RV in Los Angeles, shop for groceries and drive only as far as the first campground, because you will be tired after the flight and the handover. Day two: head east to Joshua Tree, walk among the boulders and watch the stars. Day three: drive north through the Mojave towards Death Valley, stopping at small desert towns for fuel and coffee.

Day four and five: spend time in Death Valley, with an early start to see the salt flats and viewpoints, and a long break in the middle of the day when it is warm. Day six: cross into Nevada and head to Valley of Fire for an afternoon among the red rocks. Day seven: drive into Las Vegas, clean and refuel the RV if the terms require it, and return it before your flight. Build in a spare half-day if your flight is early, because return times can be tight, and ask the rental company about its opening hours and any out-of-hours drop-off option. That keeps the total driving moderate and leaves time for the sights, which is the whole point of a one-way RV trip.

Best time of year for this trip

The desert is a place of extremes. In winter, days are mild and clear, nights are cold and Death Valley is at its best. In spring, wildflowers can appear after a wet winter and temperatures are pleasant. Summer, from June to September, brings very high temperatures in the Mojave and Death Valley, so you will rely on the RV’s air-conditioning and plan outdoor activities for early morning.

CampervanPlanet’s one-way sample weeks are in May, June and September, which are warmer months. If you travel in winter, check the prices separately; our Las Vegas RV prices in winter vs summer guide explains the seasonal pattern. Also remember that some campgrounds close or have limited services in extreme heat or cold.

Whenever you go, book campgrounds ahead in busy periods, especially near national parks.

Campgrounds, rules and practical tips

A few practical points for American RV travel:

• Overnight parking in cities is often restricted. Use RV parks or designated campgrounds, and avoid parking on casino lots unless you have permission.
• Fuel is measured in gallons, distances in miles and speeds in miles per hour. Check the RV’s height, as some tunnels and bridges have limits.
• In the desert, carry extra water, and fill the fuel tank when you can, because stations can be far apart.
• Watch for flash floods in desert washes after rain, and never camp in a dry riverbed.

If you are visiting from Europe, our guide to RV rental in the USA for Europeans covers licences, size and costs. And our Los Angeles RV rental guide explains what to expect at the pick-up end.

Insurance and booking tips

Ask what is included in the standard cover, the excess and the optional upgrade, and what happens if you damage the vehicle in a remote area. Take photographs at pick-up, and keep copies of your paperwork. Our insurance and excess guide explains the usual structure.

When you are ready to book, compare the options on CampervanPlanet and use code HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY20 at checkout to take €20 off. It is a fixed discount, and it works on one-way bookings. Visitors who book within 30 days of clicking our links are credited to us at no extra cost to you, which is how we keep this blog on the road.