How to Plan an Affordable Vacation

Build a trip budget before you book flights and lodging.

Overview

Affordable travel starts with a complete draft budget—flights, lodging, food, activities—and a daily average you can live with.

Draft the full trip before booking

Include flights, lodging, food, activities, shopping, and a miscellaneous buffer so the total is not a surprise later.

Use per-day and per-person views

Daily and per-person averages make different trip styles easier to compare.

Connect to savings

Once you have a trip total, use the Savings Goal calculator to turn it into a monthly contribution plan.

Try the calculator

Use the free Vacation Budget Calculator for live numbers, then come back to this guide anytime you need a quick refresher.