How Much Does a Honeymoon Cost Right Now? See the National Average

The fun doesn't have to stop once your wedding is over. Plenty of couples plan a honeymoon to celebrate their marriage—and though it can be a splurge (hello, airfare and all-inclusive resorts), it's certainly well deserved after all that planning. If you're curious to know what the average honeymoon cost is in 2025, we have the answer thanks to The Knot Real Weddings Study. Read on to see how much a honeymoon costs, the typical budget breakdown, and how couples pay for it. (Spoiler alert: it's all about travel points and a honeymoon fund.) Plus, our data also reveals the most popular destinations in the US and abroad where couples are heading to kick off married life.

In this article:

• Average Honeymoon Cost
• What Influences the Honeymoon Cost
• How Couples Pay For Their Honeymoons
• The Most Popular Honeymoon Destinations Right Now
• Honeymoon Budget Breakdown and Spreadsheet

Average Honeymoon Cost

Based on an internal study of nearly 17,000 couples who got married in 2024, the average honeymoon cost is $5,300. This is in addition to the average cost of a wedding, which is $33,000. Honeymoons remain one of the most popular wedding-related events, with 69% of couples planning one in 2024. Forty-one percent left for their trip within two days of the reception, and on average, couples spend about seven days on their honeymoon—but we also found that 28% of all honeymoons lasted between one and two weeks.* Minimoons continue to be a popular vacation option too. Last year, a little over 2 in 5 couples planned a shortened trip either in lieu of (24%) or in addition to (17%) a traditional honeymoon.*

What Influences the Honeymoon Cost

The average price of a honeymoon has been holding steady over the last few years. While our data found the cost of a honeymoon was $5,300 in 2024, it was $5,700 in 2023 and $5,100 in 2022. This number reflects couples' desires to go on an experiential trip. Now more than ever, newlyweds look to plan honeymoons in unique locations that offer unconventional activities. In 2024, we found that 59% of couples traveled outside the United States for their honeymoon (compared to 62% in 2023, 53% in 2022 and 41% in 2021). Inflation and increased airfares due to higher fuel costs have also impacted the cost of travel.

Of course, how much you spend on a honeymoon ultimately depends on the details of your trip. "The destination, time of year, length of stay and accommodations are all factors that go into the cost of a honeymoon," says Marsha-Ann Donaldson, a travel expert and the Corporate Director of Weddings & Romance for Sandals Resorts International. "That's why we recommend booking a trip about a year in advance for the best room availability and rates."

It's important to keep in mind that these numbers are a reflection of the national average. The cost of a honeymoon will fluctuate based on where you go, the time of year you travel, duration and any upgrades you make for your trip. Couples can spend significantly less, for example, by taking a romantic getaway within the United States or a staycation in their hometown. You may also want to consider the difference between planning your own itinerary versus opting for an all-inclusive. While a honeymoon package may seem like more money at first, Donaldson says, "You won't have to worry about unexpected costs popping up during your stay because the price includes everything upfront."

How Couples Pay For Their Honeymoons

Now that you know the national average cost, you're probably wondering how much you should spend on your honeymoon (and how you're going to pay for it). Honeymoon registry funds continue to rise in popularity, especially for couples who prefer experiences over things. Setting up a cash fund registry is a great way to make sure you actually enjoy the gifts your loved ones purchase. In 2024, 80% of couples set up at least one wedding registry. Of those, 23% made a honeymoon fund to help support their trip.* However, the majority of couples (74%, to be exact) pulled from their own savings to pay for it.*

Since this is an additional cost to your wedding, it's important to set a honeymoon budget that's realistic with what you can spend after planning your nuptials. You may want to consider working with a honeymoon travel specialist to help you plan a memorable trip. After all, it's not about taking a fancy vacation for great pictures to post on Instagram. What matters most is spending quality time with your S.O. to ring in married life together.

The Most Popular Honeymoon Destinations Right Now

According to our study, 41% of couples opted to stay in the US for their trip in 2024 (up from 38% in 2023). Hawaii, Florida and California were the most popular states for honeymoons. For couples who traveled abroad, the Caribbean and Mexico were the top regions, with Europe coming in third. Beach honeymoons still remain the most popular option, though, with 48% of couples saying they planned a tropical getaway.*

Honeymoon Budget Breakdown and Spreadsheet

If you're planning a honeymoon budget, you're probably wondering how much to spend on the various components of your trip. We crunched the numbers based on our 2024 Honeymoon Study* to come up with an estimated honeymoon cost breakdown. Use this as a starting point and customize it for your priorities with our honeymoon budget spreadsheet:

• Travel - 33%
• Accommodations - 36%
• Activities/Experiences - 30%
• Food/Drink - 31%

The percentages add up to more than 100% because each couple we surveyed prioritized the categories differently. The cost of a honeymoon ultimately depends on the location and type of accommodations booked; However, since we pulled average numbers from all we surveyed, the most common result was that they spent about 1/3 of their budget on each of these categories. When it comes to your own honeymoon budget, we recommend prioritizing the top two categories that are most important to you, then allocating the rest of your budget on the remaining elements.

Bonus: Check out The Knot's free honeymoon budget planner and checklists spreadsheet to easily plan, print and share your budget. Copy the Google Sheets or download in Excel format by clicking the buttons below.

Tip: After you click "make a copy", it may take a few seconds to copy the file to your drive depending on the speed of your internet connection.

*Based on The Knot 2024 Honeymoon Study, which captured responses from 662 US couples who took a honeymoon in 2024 or planned to take one in 2025 or 2026; respondents were recruited via a third-party sample provider.

Diane Hall contributed to the reporting of this article.