How Much Does a Honeymoon Cost in 2026?

Average honeymoon cost

Two of the biggest wedding planning sites land on almost the same number. The Knot lists the average honeymoon at $5,500 on its wedding cost page, updated in September 2026, and Discover cites Zola’s 2026 average of $5,300 for a trip of about seven days.

Sources: The Knot honeymoon study, Jul 2026 update; The Knot average wedding cost page, Sep 2026.

For a seven-day trip, $5,500 works out to about $786 a day for the couple (our calculation). The honeymoon is also a meaningful share of the wedding budget: The Knot’s 2026 Real Weddings Study puts the average wedding at $34,200, so a $5,500 honeymoon adds about 16% on top (our calculation). See the full breakdown in our average wedding cost guide.

Honeymoon cost by budget style

Your travel style decides most of the bill. Discover groups honeymoons into three budget levels:

Source: Discover, Jun 2026.

Discover estimates that activities and excursions take up about a quarter of total spending. In The Knot’s study, couples were most likely to prioritize spending on accommodations (36%), followed by travel (33%), food and drink (31%) and activities (30%).

Where couples go

In 2024, 59% of couples honeymooned abroad and 41% stayed in the US, per The Knot. That is down from 62% abroad in 2023. The top US states were Hawaii, Florida and California. Abroad, the Caribbean and Mexico led, followed by Europe.

Lodging is usually the largest single cost. Here is what seven nights would cost at average US hotel rates for 2026:

Source: PwC, 2026 US Hospitality Directions forecast, May 2026. *Seven-night totals are our calculation, before taxes and fees.

A week in a luxury hotel would use more than half of a $5,500 budget before flights, food or activities (our calculation). For more on room prices by city, see our guide to the average hotel cost per night.

A cruise is another popular option because lodging, most meals and travel between stops come bundled. Cruzely estimates a 7-day cruise at about $2,500 per person all in, or roughly $5,000 for two. Compare the details in our cost of a cruise guide.

Minimoons and timing

Not every couple takes a long trip right away. The Knot found that 24% of couples took a shorter “minimoon” instead of a traditional honeymoon, and 17% took one in addition to it. Meanwhile, 41% left for their trip within two days of the reception.

Timing can save more than almost any other choice. Discover estimates that traveling off peak can cut costs by 30% to 40%, which would bring a $5,500 trip down to about $3,300 to $3,850 (our calculation). A resort expert quoted by The Knot recommends booking about a year ahead for the best room choice and rates.

A sample honeymoon budget

Here is one way a $5,500 trip for seven nights could break down, using Discover’s estimate that activities take about a quarter of the budget and PwC’s 2026 rate for an upper upscale hotel.

Our calculation, based on The Knot (average cost), Discover (Jun 2026) and PwC (May 2026).

Switch to a luxury hotel at $444.55 a night and the room alone rises to $3,112, leaving about $1,013 for everything else after activities (our calculation). One way around that is to book the luxury hotel for only part of the trip. Your own split will depend on where you go and how you get there, so price flights early, since they can take a large share of that last line.

Should you borrow for a honeymoon?

Borrowing makes the trip cost more. Discover’s own example shows a $15,000 personal loan at 11.99% APR over 72 months costs $293 a month. Over six years, that comes to about $21,096 in payments, or roughly $6,096 in interest (our calculation). Paying from savings, as most couples do, avoids that extra cost.

How to pay for it and spend less

1. Save in a dedicated fund. 74% of couples paid from their own savings, per The Knot. A monthly target turns the trip into a line in your budget; our 50/30/20 budget calculator can help you find room for it.
2. Add a honeymoon fund to your registry. Of couples with a registry, 23% created one, per The Knot.
3. Travel off peak. Discover’s 30% to 40% estimate makes this the biggest single lever.
4. Pad the budget. Discover suggests adding 15% to 25% for often-forgotten expenses.
5. Trade a long trip for a minimoon now. A short trip after the wedding and a bigger one later can spread out costs.

The honeymoon is the last of three big costs for most couples. The Knot puts the average engagement ring at $4,600 and the average wedding at $34,200. Add a $5,500 honeymoon and the total comes to about $44,300 (our calculation). Starting early, even with a small monthly amount, makes that much easier to reach without debt.

Still early in the planning? Our engagement ring cost guide covers another big purchase on the way to the wedding.

See how we research every number on our method page, or browse more travel costs.