A honeymoon can be a major life event in a couple’s life, but it could also be a major expense. Paying for a dream trip to celebrate your wedding doesn’t have to be stressful though. Whether you’re interested in lowering your honeymoon budget or finding other ways to pay for it, it all starts with planning.
We’ll take a look at estimating average honeymoon costs, building a realistic budget, and comparing ways to pay.
Table of contents
- What does the average honeymoon cost?
- How can you build a honeymoon budget?
- How can you pay for your dream honeymoon?
What does the average honeymoon cost?
In 2026, the average honeymoon cost was $5,300 and lasted about seven days, according to Zola. This cost can vary depending on multiple factors and your budgeting goal should always be tailored to what works best for you—not what the average is.
Your overall cost of a honeymoon will be influenced by a few choices you make including your destination, your chosen accommodations, the length of the trip, which season your trip is planned in, and your travel style.
Average honeymoon cost by budget
To make it easier to understand your goals, we’ve established a budgeting range based on average prices.
Honeymoon Budget | Cost |
|---|---|
Low | $1,500–4,000 |
Mid-range | $4,000–8,000 |
Luxury | $8,000–$15,000+ |
How can you build a honeymoon budget?
Start your honeymoon budget by figuring out how much you’re able to spend. In general, you’ll probably find that your expenses fall into four general categories: travel, accommodation, experiences, and food and drinks. You can adjust your budget for each of these categories depending on your priorities.
Step one: Determine your departure date
Seasonality plays a huge role in the cost of travel and accommodation, and a flexible departure date could help you save money. For example, typically the cheapest days to fly within the US are departing on a Monday and returning on a Wednesday and departing and returning on a Wednesday for international flights. You could also consider choosing a destination within driving distance to avoid airline expenses.
You can also research what locations will be on and off their peak season at the time you choose to travel. Off-peak travel can reduce costs by 30–40%.
The decisions you make in this step will determine your budget for the first category: travel.
Step two: Explore locations and accommodations
After you’ve determined your departure date, you can start looking into locations and accommodations. Your budget for this category will depend on your priorities—a standard hotel room may cost $150 to $300 per night, while more luxurious stays can cost $500 -$1,000+ per night.
Hotels often reward early reservations, so booking early could benefit you. You could also look into all-inclusive resorts to save on meals and activities or long-stay options with a kitchen to save on dining out.
Step three: Research and plan your activities
Now that you’ve got a handle on your travel plans and accommodations, you can start looking into the excursions and activities you’ll go on. These expenses often account for about a quarter of your honeymoon spending.
When planning this part of the budget, couples will often decide if they want to splurge on a few big, guided tours and cultural experiences or spread the budget out to smaller, more frequent activities. All-inclusive resorts with bundled activities or less tourist-centric excursions can help you save on this category.
Step four: Decide on your food budget
Once you start researching the destination you’ve chosen, you can start determining what restaurants and dining experiences you’d like to prioritize. Do you prefer Michelin-star dinners? Or would you rather cook at your rental?
All-inclusives will cover a majority of your food and drinks, taking out any guesswork. For other destinations, look into the local restaurant scene and figure out the average cost of dining there.
This budget can be adjusted based on your spending goals for the other categories.
Additional honeymoon expenses
Beyond the main costs of a honeymoon, these often-forgotten expenses can add 15–25% to your budget:
- Airport transfers
- Baggage fees
- Tips
- Travel insurance
- Resort fees
- Passport-related fees
- Parking
- Pet boarding/house sitting
How can you pay for your dream honeymoon?
To pay for your dream honeymoon without financial strain, you might consider any number of options. Choosing the right one for you can depend on your current financial situation, how much you’ve planned, and your budget now and in the future. Here are some top possibilities you might want to consider.
Check if your savings will cover the cost
Whether you already have a savings fund or create one specifically for your wedding and honeymoon, tapping into your savings might be the simplest way to pay. You could save by setting aside any tax refunds or employment bonuses you receive. Or you might divert part of your salary into a high-yield savings account.
If you’re considering using your savings, there are a couple of things you might want to think about.
Pros
- The money is immediately available for you to use
- There are no loan applications to complete
- There is no credit review or approval needed
Cons
- It may deplete your emergency fund, which experts suggest should equal three to six months of your living expenses
- It might not be enough to cover all the costs or unexpected expenses that suddenly arise
Use wedding gift money for a honeymoon
Some couples add gift money to their wedding registry or create a honeymoon registry as an option for family and friends. This may be an effective method for building your funds for your honeymoon. Because honeymoon trips can be expensive, though, this might not be sufficient to cover all the costs
Pros
- A honeymoon fund option on your registry may be a good way to effectively crowdsource your honeymoon fund
- Your wedding guests may love supporting the first experiences you’ll share as a married couple
Cons
- The amount you receive might not be enough to cover the full cost of your honeymoon
- Because wedding gifts can arrive at the last minute, you may not be able to plan ahead and budget for your expenses
Look into using travel rewards programs for the honeymoon
If one of you is a member of a hotel, airline, or credit card rewards or cash back program, you might be able to save up enough from those to help take on some of your honeymoon costs. You should examine the specific terms of the programs if you’re thinking of paying for a honeymoon with credit card rewards.
Pros
- The value of your rewards or cash back is typically immediately available to help offset your expenses
- You might be offered special deals or discounts as a member of a loyalty program
Cons
- You may not have enough points or rewards to cover the entire cost of the honeymoon
- There may be restrictions on how and when you can use your rewards or the destinations available under the terms of the program
Rely on your credit cards to borrow the money
You and your partner may already have credit cards. If so, you know the convenience they can provide for making purchases of almost any kind. Responsible use of credit cards, though, is important to your financial future.
Pros
- You can pay immediately with a credit card
- Credit cards are commonly accepted as payment options at airlines, car rental agencies, and most locations
Cons
- You might not have sufficient credit available to pay for all your expenses
- Borrowing from credit cards adds to your revolving debt, which can continue to grow with new purchases, especially if you don’t pay in full every month
- Credit cards may have high and variable interest rates, which can add to your overall borrowing costs
- Credit cards may have foreign transaction fees
Research whether a personal loan could be your best option
As you examine your choices, you might find that a little extra money may help ensure that you have the honeymoon you and your partner have always imagined. Adding to your financial cushion might be easier than you think. A personal loan could be the right solution after you review your overall budget.
Pros
- As a form of closed-end credit, personal loans have a fixed repayment term, so you know when the loan will be fully paid off
- Personal loans may have a fixed interest rate, so you’ll know the precise cost of the loan
- Personal loans allow you to choose a repayment term that fits your budget with one set regular monthly payment
- Personal loans may have lower interest rates than some credit cards
Cons
- A personal loan, like any loan, will add to your overall debt, which is important to calculate
- Depending on your credit score, you might not be offered a rate lower than your existing credit, or the loan amount might not be enough to cover your costs
If a personal loan sounds like a good option, a fixed-rate Discover® personal loan could get you the money you need, up to $40,000. You can choose from multiple repayment options to fit your budget—36, 48, 60, 72, or 84 months. Plus, you’ll pay $0 origination fees, $0 closing fees…no fees of any kind.
Financing your honeymoon could be a great option if it makes sense for your overall budget and you would like an option that doesn’t deplete your savings. And because a personal loan for wedding expenses is a flexible tool, you could use it for any number of wedding-related costs, in addition to your honeymoon.
Interested in exploring how a personal loan could help you realize the adventure of a lifetime?
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