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Whether you’re sharing your big day with family and friends in a sprawling celebration or having an intimate courthouse wedding, chances are you’re planning a much-needed honeymoon afterward with your new spouse. While the average honeymoon cost can be thousands of dollars, there are ways to lower the price tag.Read on to learn how to stay on-budget and cover the average cost of a honeymoon — and still have the getaway of your dreams.
How Much Does a Honeymoon Typically Cost?
The average cost of a honeymoon is about $5,700, according to the most recent calculation in The Knot. Costs that are associated with honeymoon expenses can include:
Airfare
Accommodations
Rental car
Experiences and excursions
Sightseeing
Food and drinks
Shopping
Passports
Other travel-related fees
The average honeymoon cost has increased over the years as couples seek out more unique activities and extended stays. The average length of a honeymoon is seven days, but many couples go away for even longer. Fortunately, there are ways to stay on budget as you travel.Recommended: How Much Does an Average Wedding Cost?
Factors That Can Influence the Cost of a Honeymoon
The price of a honeymoon is variable and depends on where you go and what you do. Even for couples who travel to the same destination, but go at different times of the year, the average cost of a honeymoon can vary widely. Here’s what affects the cost:
Location
Destination is the biggest factor in the average honeymoon cost. For example, if you decide to honeymoon stateside, the expense will likely be less than it would be for an international trip. And if you drive to your destination, you’ll save even more — namely on airfare and rental car costs.The lodging you choose will also affect your total cost. Staying at a luxury resort with all the amenities could cost you a lot more than staying at an inn or an Airbnb.
Season
When you’re taking your trip can also affect your average honeymoon cost. The peak season — the time of year when the destination is most desirable and has the highest number of visitors — is when you’ll typically see top prices for hotels, plane tickets, excursions, and entertainment. Off-season prices tend to be lower since there’s less tourism demand, so try to plan your trip then if you can.
Inflation
Inflation in the current market means that the price of goods and services are high. Travel costs like gas, hotels, food, rental cars, airfare, and other activities generally go up, too. Search around for the best prices, and budget accordingly.
Length of Trip
The duration of your honeymoon directly impacts your overall cost. The longer you stay, the more money you’ll spend on accommodations, food, and beverages during your trip. You may also take more excursions and do more sightseeing, which can add to the cost as well.
Amount of People
Although a honeymoon is, of course, traditionally just for the newlyweds, some situations might require a few more people. For example, if you have young children, you might opt to bring them with you. Or perhaps you’ll choose to bring your parents along to provide childcare so that you and your spouse can enjoy your honeymoon with peace of mind. The number of people joining the trip will impact your total honeymoon cost since you will need to pay for their flights, accommodations, meals, and other activities.
5 Tips for Lowering the Cost of a Honeymoon
When you’re planning a honeymoon, there are some smart tips that can help you stay within budget.
1. Set up a Honeymoon Savings Fund
Do this as soon as you get engaged to start maximizing your savings. Earmark the account solely for your honeymoon and contribute a fixed amount to it every month.
2. Plan Early
Booking your flights at the last minute might be a way to cut costs if you and your spouse-to-be are willing to be spontaneous and fly to a location that has a lower price. However, if you want to visit a particular destination for specific dates, as many couples do, it’s best to book your tickets in advance.A rule of thumb is to book domestic flights about one to three months ahead of your trip. If you’re traveling abroad for your honeymoon, it’s wise to begin keeping an eye on fares at the same time you start planning your wedding and monitor when the prices dip. Then, consider booking your flights closer to the eight- to six-month mark.
3. Travel During the Off-Season
One major way to stay within your travel budget is to plan your honeymoon during the destination’s off-season. The off-season is the time of the year when tourism demand at your chosen destination is low, and travel costs are low to encourage visitors. Generally, it’s also the time of year when the weather can be more variable, or certain activities are limited. Depending on when your wedding date is, this might mean going right after your wedding or delaying your honeymoon for a few months. But planning your honeymoon for the off-season can pay off: It might save you 20% to 60% of the overall cost.
4. Find an All-Inclusive Package
Some travel agencies or destinations offer all-inclusive travel packages. These deals typically include your accommodations, food and certain beverages (sometimes unlimited), activities, and entertainment.All-inclusive packages can help you stay on budget since many of the expenses you’ll generally face are covered in the lump-sum pricing. Just be sure to check exactly what your package covers since “all-inclusive” can mean different things at different places.
5. Leverage Your Credit Card Rewards
Using credit card rewards toward travel costs can significantly reduce your honeymoon expenses. This approach can be especially beneficial if you strategically put your wedding charges onto a rewards credit card. If you’ve earned a sizable amount of rewards points or miles, redeem them to help cover hotel, airfare, or car rental for your honeymoon and cut out-of-pocket costs. Recommended: Guide to Planning a Wedding on a Budget
How to Cover the Cost of a Honeymoon
Covering the expense of a honeymoon can be done in a variety of ways, including:
Honeymoon registry. Instead of creating a gift registry, websites like Honeyfund and Zola let you create honeymoon expense categories that your guests can contribute to.
Cash wedding gifts. Use the money you get as gifts for your wedding to help pay for your honeymoon.
Savings fund. Take the money you’ve saved and use it to book your trip. But don’t wipe out your entire savings account. You’ll want to leave yourself a cushion, should you need it.
Credit cards. Putting your honeymoon expenses on your credit card can be convenient although not without cost. If you use a rewards card, the money you spend can help you earn points you can later redeem. Just make sure that you can afford to pay off the credit card expense as soon as possible so you don’t end up paying too much in interest.
Personal loan. You can also pay for your honeymoon with a personal loan. Personal loans provide you with a lump sum of cash that you pay back in fixed, monthly installments. Be sure to review the personal loan requirements and the interest you might have to pay in order to choose a loan that you can handle.
Personal Loans With Lantern
If you’re interested in exploring personal loan options for your honeymoon, Lantern by SoFi can help. With our online lending tool, you can compare multiple personal loans all in one place to find the one that’s best for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Photo credit: iStock/valentinrussanov
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About the Author
Jennifer Calonia
Jennifer Calonia is a Los Angeles-based finance writer who has covered the gamut, including student loans, credit card rewards, consumer loans, and debt. Her work has been featured in outlets like Bankrate, NerdWallet, Business Insider, Yahoo Finance, and U.S. News.
