Editor's Note: This story originally appeared on Dunhill Travel Deals.
In 2025, lower travel costs are making quick, affordable vacations more attainable for many American households.
After several years of steep price increases, the cost of travel is finally starting to even out. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, average domestic airfare is down 3.5% year-over-year, and overall passenger volumes have plateaued.
TSA checkpoint data for June and July 2025 shows little change compared to the same period in 2024, following two consecutive years of strong growth.
Still, interest in travel remains relatively high. A recent Bank of America survey found that more than 70% of Americans planned a summer vacation this year, with most favoring domestic destinations.
To help travelers get the most for their money, Dunhill Travel Deals, a leading source for travel deal discovery, looked at what it actually costs to take a four-day trip for a family of four in cities across the country.
The analysis covered four key expenses — airfare, lodging, meals, and rental cars — and ranked destinations based on overall affordability. For more information, see the methodology section at the end.
The findings aim to support families looking to maximize their travel budgets while also uncovering some surprisingly affordable spots they might not have considered.
Here are the cheapest cities to vacation in this year.
15. Orlando, FL
- Total cost of a 4-night stay (family of 4): $4,303
- Total cost of a 4-night stay (individual): $1,515
- Round-trip flight cost (per person): $413
- Total lodging cost (per room): $589
- Total meal cost (per person): $320
- Total rental car cost (per car): $193
- Cost of services (compared to average): -0.5%
14. Wichita, KS
- Total cost of a 4-night stay (family of 4): $4,301
- Total cost of a 4-night stay (individual): $1,416
- Round-trip flight cost (per person): $543
- Total lodging cost (per room): $440
- Total meal cost (per person): $272
- Total rental car cost (per car): $161
- Cost of services (compared to average): -5.9%
13. Tulsa, OK
- Total cost of a 4-night stay (family of 4): $4,277
- Total cost of a 4-night stay (individual): $1,443
- Round-trip flight cost (per person): $526
- Total lodging cost (per room): $440
- Total meal cost (per person): $272
- Total rental car cost (per car): $205
- Cost of services (compared to average): -4.6%
12. Springfield, MO
- Total cost of a 4-night stay (family of 4): $4,270
- Total cost of a 4-night stay (individual): $1,448
- Round-trip flight cost (per person): $522
- Total lodging cost (per room): $440
- Total meal cost (per person): $272
- Total rental car cost (per car): $214
- Cost of services (compared to average): -6.7%
11. Buffalo, NY
- Total cost of a 4-night stay (family of 4): $4,233
- Total cost of a 4-night stay (individual): $1,458
- Round-trip flight cost (per person): $434
- Total lodging cost (per room): $513
- Total meal cost (per person): $320
- Total rental car cost (per car): $191
- Cost of services (compared to average): -2.4%
10. Norfolk, VA
- Total cost of a 4-night stay (family of 4): $4,215
- Total cost of a 4-night stay (individual): $1,423
- Round-trip flight cost (per person): $512
- Total lodging cost (per room): $440
- Total meal cost (per person): $272
- Total rental car cost (per car): $199
- Cost of services (compared to average): -1.6%
9. Raleigh, NC
- Total cost of a 4-night stay (family of 4): $4,205
- Total cost of a 4-night stay (individual): $1,443
- Round-trip flight cost (per person): $450
- Total lodging cost (per room): $524
- Total meal cost (per person): $296
- Total rental car cost (per car): $173
- Cost of services (compared to average): -1.9%
8. El Paso, TX
- Total cost of a 4-night stay (family of 4): $4,185
- Total cost of a 4-night stay (individual): $1,411
- Round-trip flight cost (per person): $506
- Total lodging cost (per room): $440
- Total meal cost (per person): $272
- Total rental car cost (per car): $193
- Cost of services (compared to average): -4.7%
7. Jacksonville, FL
- Total cost of a 4-night stay (family of 4): $4,180
- Total cost of a 4-night stay (individual): $1,406
- Round-trip flight cost (per person): $506
- Total lodging cost (per room): $440
- Total meal cost (per person): $272
- Total rental car cost (per car): $188
- Cost of services (compared to average): -0.5%
6. Fort Wayne, IN
- Total cost of a 4-night stay (family of 4): $4,053
- Total cost of a 4-night stay (individual): $1,372
- Round-trip flight cost (per person): $475
- Total lodging cost (per room): $440
- Total meal cost (per person): $272
- Total rental car cost (per car): $185
- Cost of services (compared to average): -2.4%
5. Akron, OH
- Total cost of a 4-night stay (family of 4): $3,978
- Total cost of a 4-night stay (individual): $1,360
- Round-trip flight cost (per person): $454
- Total lodging cost (per room): $440
- Total meal cost (per person): $272
- Total rental car cost (per car): $194
- Cost of services (compared to average): -2.2%
4. Peoria, IL
- Total cost of a 4-night stay (family of 4): $3,727
- Total cost of a 4-night stay (individual): $1,298
- Round-trip flight cost (per person): $391
- Total lodging cost (per room): $440
- Total meal cost (per person): $272
- Total rental car cost (per car): $195
- Cost of services (compared to average): -1.8%
3. Allentown, PA
- Total cost of a 4-night stay (family of 4): $3,611
- Total cost of a 4-night stay (individual): $1,282
- Round-trip flight cost (per person): $327
- Total lodging cost (per room): $460
- Total meal cost (per person): $296
- Total rental car cost (per car): $199
- Cost of services (compared to average): -2.3%
2. Wilmington, DE
- Total cost of a 4-night stay (family of 4): $3,133
- Total cost of a 4-night stay (individual): $1,155
- Round-trip flight cost (per person): $194
- Total lodging cost (per room): $508
- Total meal cost (per person): $296
- Total rental car cost (per car): $157
- Cost of services (compared to average): +1.5%
1. Toledo, OH
- Total cost of a 4-night stay (family of 4): $2,987
- Total cost of a 4-night stay (individual): $1,110
- Round-trip flight cost (per person): $207
- Total lodging cost (per room): $440
- Total meal cost (per person): $272
- Total rental car cost (per car): $191
- Cost of services (compared to average): -2.2%
Methodology
The data used in this study is from the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics’ 2025 Domestic Airline Consumer Airfare Report, the U.S. General Services Administration’s (GSA) 2025 Per Diem Rates, Business Travel News’ 2025 Corporate Travel Index Calculator, and the Bureau of Economic Analysis’ 2023 Regional Price Parities by Metro Area.
To calculate the total cost of a four-night stay for a family of four, researchers at Dunhill Travel Deals calculated the total cost of four average-priced round-trip flights, two average-priced hotel rooms for four nights, three average-priced meals per day for four people, and the cost of the average-priced rental car for four days.
Round-trip airfare for each location was calculated by doubling the average aggregated, one-way, domestic trip data for directionless city pairs pertaining to that location.
Airfares for each city pair include segments for both nonstop and connecting itineraries, and in order to include airports that are nearby to the travel destination, the average airfare was calculated using the average airfare for all airports serving that market.
Some markets are primarily served by small or regional airports with limited commercial flight options, which can result in lower average airfares. Average hotel room costs were calculated using the GSA per diem rates, which are formulated to best represent mid-range hotels in each market.
Similarly, average meal costs were calculated from the GSA per diem rates to represent the total cost of breakfast, lunch, dinner, and incidentals (tips). Rental car costs were calculated by averaging the daily rental rates (including taxes) across full-size, intermediate, and compact vehicle classes.
The researchers also calculated the total cost of a four-night stay for an individual, the round-trip flight cost per person, the four-night lodging cost per room, the four-day meal cost per person, the four-day rental car cost per car, and the cost of other services compared to average (helpful for approximating entertainment and recreation affordability).
For relevance, only a select 100 cities with complete data across all metrics were used in the analysis.
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