There is a way to be legal (in my opinion)
Go the local flight school, take a few lessons, and make friends with some of the pilots who fly there. You may find someone heading off to Vegas for a weekend with a spare seat every now and then. They won’t advertise it. If they are like me you will need to pass a passenger aptitude test. Show an interest in small planes, when I joke about crashing or getting lost, try and look nonchalant, nervous passengers are a distraction and distractions are bad news for a low time pilot. They might let you chip in for fuel/rental. But if it was me, it would be made very clear to you and I cannot guarantee to get you anywhere at any time, that includes ending up in the middle of no-where that is neither Vegas nor Phoenix. Flying is a hobby I pay for, I am happy if passengers buy me some lunch and pay for landing fees at my destination. Also you don’t know really know how good a pilot they are, you might need those lessons.
Also a bunch of scenarios you would need to happy with.
You get a call at 1pm Friday, “had a look at the weather, storm due in this evening going to take the afternoon off work and fly to Vegas early.”
Get the airport Friday night, the previous renter left the master on and the battery is flat, “will be too late to leave tonight come back in the morning.”
Decided to have a drink after work, “we will go tomorrow”
On the way to Vegas engine makes a strange noise, “might make a precautionary landing in this little nowhere dessert town here.” Mechanic has to drive from Phoenix, “I guess we will be staying here tonight.” In the end turns out to be nothing wrong with the engine.
10 am Sunday morning in Vegas just starting on the buffet breakfast, another call “wind due to pick up this afternoon in Phoenix, not due until late afternoon but going to leave now just in case.”
That’s private flying. If where and when are important I fly commercial.