Best Vacation Loans in 2025
Planning your dream trip? The best vacation loans could get you there without straining your budget
| Lender | User rating | Best for | APR | Term | Amount | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
No fees | 7.99% – 24.99% | 36 to 84 months |
$2.5k – $40k |
Top lenders for vacation loans
Best for: No fees – Discover
- APR
- 7.99% – 24.99%
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- No origination, prepayment or late fees
- Get money as soon as the next business day
- Competitive rates could mean big savings
- Need good or excellent credit to qualify
- Can’t apply with another person
A LightStream loan could help you keep travel costs low with no fees and low rates. Plus, LightStream offers fast funding — you could see money in your account as soon as the next business day, which is helpful if you need to book quickly. (Need money faster? Check out .)
Discover only accepts credit scores of and above, so consider , and if you have fair or bad credit.
Read our full LightStream personal loan review to learn more.
You’ll need to meet these eligibility criteria to get a LightStream loan:
- Age: Be at least 18
- Citizenship: Have a Social Security number
- Administrative: Have a physical address, email address and internet access
- Income: Minimum income of $40,000 (individually or as a household)
- Credit score: +
What to know about vacation loans
You can use a personal loan to cover your next trip, but it’s smart to learn about personal loans before you start applying. Here’s what you need to know about vacation loans:
-
Cost of vacation loans
Even the best vacation loans cost money in interest and fees, which add up to hundreds or thousands of dollars. Learn more about how much vacation loans cost. -
Qualifying for a vacation loan
Every personal loan lender has its own eligibility requirements, but some lenders specialize in offering loans for bad or fair credit. Just know you’ll pay more for these loans than you would with good or excellent credit. -
Risks
When you borrow money with a vacation loan, you risk taking on payments you can’t afford. Being honest with yourself about your budget and comparing offers with a personal loan calculator can dramatically decrease the odds of this happening to you.
When it comes to how people feel about borrowing for vacation, results are mixed. Just over 1 in 5 Americans have gone into debt for vacation, but 62% regret it. Interestingly, parents of young children who borrow to take their kids to Disney disagree — 59% say they don’t regret it.
Avoid post-vacay regrets by considering other ways to pay for vacation and keeping vacation loan costs down.
Pros and cons of using a personal loan for vacation
PROS
- Can make your travel plans a reality if you need money now
- Build credit with consistent payments
- Come with fixed monthly payments and a specific end date
CONS
- Your vacation will cost more than it would if you saved up in advance
- It will likely take years to pay off your vacation
- Borrowing money for unnecessary expenses can land you in a cycle of debt
- Missing payments will damage your credit score
How much will your vacation loan cost?
It always costs money to borrow money, and even the best vacation loans charge interest in exchange for giving you money upfront to pay for your trip.
Here’s what you should expect to pay for your vacation loan based on your credit score, loan term and the amount you borrow. We assumed a repayment term of 60 months (or 5 years).
| Credit band | Average APR* | Monthly payment on $5,000 vacation loan | Cost of interest on $5,000 vacation loan | Monthly payment on $10,000 vacation loan | Cost of interest on $10,000 vacation loan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Excellent (800 and above) | 11.66% | $110.37 | $1,621.90 | $220.73 | $3,243.81 |
| Very good (740-799) | 14.35% | $117.25 | $2,035.03 | $234.50 | $4,070.06 |
| Good (670-739) | 22.83% | $140.46 | $3,427.87 | $280.93 | $6,855.73 |
| Fair (580-669) | 30.22% | $162.44 | $4,746.60 | $324.89 | $9,493.20 |
| Poor (under 580) | 32.09% | $168.24 | $5,094.64 | $336.49 | $10,189.29 |
You can use the table above to estimate the cost of your vacation loan or even to better understand how they work. Here are some rules of thumb to keep in mind:
-
The better your credit, the cheaper your loan
It’s possible to get a loan with bad credit, but you’ll pay higher rates. This makes your loan more expensive. -
The more you borrow, the more interest you’ll pay
Want to cut down on the cost of your loan? Only borrow what you absolutely need. You’ll pay interest on every cent you borrow. -
Your loan term affects how much you’ll pay
Shorter loan terms mean higher monthly payments but cheaper loans in terms of the interest you’ll pay. The opposite is true for long loan terms. Choose the shortest term with monthly payments you can comfortably afford.
Calculate your vacation loan payments
| Date | Mar '26 | Apr '26 | May '26 | Jun '26 | Jul '26 | Aug '26 | Sep '26 | Oct '26 | Nov '26 | Dec '26 | Jan '27 | Feb '27 | Mar '27 | Apr '27 | May '27 | Jun '27 | Jul '27 | Aug '27 | Sep '27 | Oct '27 | Nov '27 | Dec '27 | Jan '28 | Feb '28 | Mar '28 | Apr '28 | May '28 | Jun '28 | Jul '28 | Aug '28 | Sep '28 | Oct '28 | Nov '28 | Dec '28 | Jan '29 | Feb '29 | Mar '29 | Apr '29 | May '29 | Jun '29 | Jul '29 | Aug '29 | Sep '29 | Oct '29 | Nov '29 | Dec '29 | Jan '30 | Feb '30 | Mar '30 | Apr '30 | May '30 | Jun '30 | Jul '30 | Aug '30 | Sep '30 | Oct '30 | Nov '30 | Dec '30 | Jan '31 | Feb '31 |
| Initial Balance | $10,000.00 | $9,863.90 | $9,726.90 | $9,588.98 | $9,450.14 | $9,310.38 | $9,169.69 | $9,028.05 | $8,885.48 | $8,741.95 | $8,597.46 | $8,452.02 | $8,305.60 | $8,158.21 | $8,009.83 | $7,860.46 | $7,710.10 | $7,558.74 | $7,406.37 | $7,252.98 | $7,098.57 | $6,943.13 | $6,786.65 | $6,629.13 | $6,470.56 | $6,310.94 | $6,150.25 | $5,988.48 | $5,825.64 | $5,661.72 | $5,496.70 | $5,330.58 | $5,163.35 | $4,995.01 | $4,825.55 | $4,654.95 | $4,483.22 | $4,310.35 | $4,136.32 | $3,961.13 | $3,784.77 | $3,607.24 | $3,428.52 | $3,248.62 | $3,067.51 | $2,885.20 | $2,701.67 | $2,516.91 | $2,330.93 | $2,143.71 | $1,955.23 | $1,765.50 | $1,574.51 | $1,382.24 | $1,188.69 | $993.85 | $797.72 | $600.27 | $401.51 | $201.42 |
| Loan Payment | $202.76 | $202.76 | $202.76 | $202.76 | $202.76 | $202.76 | $202.76 | $202.76 | $202.76 | $202.76 | $202.76 | $202.76 | $202.76 | $202.76 | $202.76 | $202.76 | $202.76 | $202.76 | $202.76 | $202.76 | $202.76 | $202.76 | $202.76 | $202.76 | $202.76 | $202.76 | $202.76 | $202.76 | $202.76 | $202.76 | $202.76 | $202.76 | $202.76 | $202.76 | $202.76 | $202.76 | $202.76 | $202.76 | $202.76 | $202.76 | $202.76 | $202.76 | $202.76 | $202.76 | $202.76 | $202.76 | $202.76 | $202.76 | $202.76 | $202.76 | $202.76 | $202.76 | $202.76 | $202.76 | $202.76 | $202.76 | $202.76 | $202.76 | $202.76 | $202.76 |
| Principal | $136.10 | $137.00 | $137.92 | $138.84 | $139.76 | $140.69 | $141.63 | $142.58 | $143.53 | $144.48 | $145.45 | $146.42 | $147.39 | $148.38 | $149.37 | $150.36 | $151.36 | $152.37 | $153.39 | $154.41 | $155.44 | $156.48 | $157.52 | $158.57 | $159.63 | $160.69 | $161.76 | $162.84 | $163.93 | $165.02 | $166.12 | $167.23 | $168.34 | $169.46 | $170.59 | $171.73 | $172.88 | $174.03 | $175.19 | $176.36 | $177.53 | $178.72 | $179.91 | $181.11 | $182.31 | $183.53 | $184.75 | $185.98 | $187.22 | $188.47 | $189.73 | $190.99 | $192.27 | $193.55 | $194.84 | $196.14 | $197.45 | $198.76 | $200.09 | $201.42 |
| Interest | $66.67 | $65.76 | $64.85 | $63.93 | $63.00 | $62.07 | $61.13 | $60.19 | $59.24 | $58.28 | $57.32 | $56.35 | $55.37 | $54.39 | $53.40 | $52.40 | $51.40 | $50.39 | $49.38 | $48.35 | $47.32 | $46.29 | $45.24 | $44.19 | $43.14 | $42.07 | $41.00 | $39.92 | $38.84 | $37.74 | $36.64 | $35.54 | $34.42 | $33.30 | $32.17 | $31.03 | $29.89 | $28.74 | $27.58 | $26.41 | $25.23 | $24.05 | $22.86 | $21.66 | $20.45 | $19.23 | $18.01 | $16.78 | $15.54 | $14.29 | $13.03 | $11.77 | $10.50 | $9.21 | $7.92 | $6.63 | $5.32 | $4.00 | $2.68 | $1.34 |
| End Balance | $9,863.90 | $9,726.90 | $9,588.98 | $9,450.14 | $9,310.38 | $9,169.69 | $9,028.05 | $8,885.48 | $8,741.95 | $8,597.46 | $8,452.02 | $8,305.60 | $8,158.21 | $8,009.83 | $7,860.46 | $7,710.10 | $7,558.74 | $7,406.37 | $7,252.98 | $7,098.57 | $6,943.13 | $6,786.65 | $6,629.13 | $6,470.56 | $6,310.94 | $6,150.25 | $5,988.48 | $5,825.64 | $5,661.72 | $5,496.70 | $5,330.58 | $5,163.35 | $4,995.01 | $4,825.55 | $4,654.95 | $4,483.22 | $4,310.35 | $4,136.32 | $3,961.13 | $3,784.77 | $3,607.24 | $3,428.52 | $3,248.62 | $3,067.51 | $2,885.20 | $2,701.67 | $2,516.91 | $2,330.93 | $2,143.71 | $1,955.23 | $1,765.50 | $1,574.51 | $1,382.24 | $1,188.69 | $993.85 | $797.72 | $600.27 | $401.51 | $201.42 | $0.00 |
Save money on a vacation loan
The best way to save money on any loan is to qualify for lower rates. Here are four of the best ways to get a cheaper loan with lower rates:
-
Work on your credit
If you have time before takeoff, spend some time improving your credit score. A LendingTree study showed that personal loan borrowers could save an average of $1,804 by raising their credit scores from fair to very good. -
Apply with another person
Adding a second person to your loan application can decrease your risk in the eyes of a lender. If you choose to take out a loan with a cosigner, remember that both of you will be legally responsible for paying off the loan. -
Apply for a secured loan
Secured loans come with lower rates in exchange for collateral like a savings account, a car or real estate. Keep in mind that your lender will take your property if you can’t keep up with payments. -
Shop around
Shopping around — or getting quotes from multiple lenders and choosing the cheapest one — could save you thousands on your vacation loan. In fact, people could save an average of $1,659 just by shopping for their loans on LendingTree.
When banks compete, you win
You shop around for flights. Why not your loan? LendingTree makes it easy. Fill out one form and get lenders from the country’s largest network to compete for your business.
Tell us what you need
Take two minutes to tell us who you are and how much money you need. It’s free, simple and secure.
Shop your offers
Our users get 18 personal loan offers, on average. Compare your offers side by side to get the best deal.
Get your money
Pick a lender and sign your loan paperwork. You could see money in your account in as soon as 24 hours.
Alternatives to vacation loans
The best way to pay for a vacation is to save your money in advance to avoid taking on debt you can’t afford. But if you need money now, the best (and cheapest) way to pay for your vacation is to use a 0% intro annual percentage rate (APR) credit card. Here’s why:
-
$0 in interest or fees
You won’t pay interest as long as you pay off the card in the introductory period. That means the vacation won’t cost extra money. -
Less time in debt
You should pay off your vacation in the 0% introductory period, which lasts between six and 21 months. All things considered, that’s not a long time to be in debt.
We’ll break it down for you in numbers. Here’s what you need to know about the different ways to pay for a $3,000 vacation:
| Monthly payment | Time until paid off | Total amount paid | Our verdict | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saving up | $125 (to a savings account) | 2 years | $3,000 | Best financial choice (but you’ll need to wait to take your trip) |
| 0% intro APR credit card | $142.86 | 21 months | $3,000 | Best option if you need to travel now |
- Saving up: $3,000/24 monthly payments = $125. We chose a two-year (24-month) period to save because the $125 monthly “payment” to your savings account is similar to the monthly payments for the 0% intro APR card and vacation loan.
- 0% intro APR credit card: $3,000/21 monthly payments = $142.86. 0% intro APR credit cards come with a set introductory period, usually six to 21 months. We chose a long introductory period in order to keep the monthly payments as low as possible.
Whether you save up or take out a loan for your trip, use a travel credit card to pay for transportation and hotel stays. You’ll earn points or cash back for your travel purchases, which you can redeem to offset the cost of your vacation.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, you can use a loan for most purposes, including a vacation. Your lender will ask how you plan to use the money during the application process, and you can specify that you plan to use it for a vacation at that time.
You’ll borrow the amount you need to pay for your trip and pay it back over time in equal monthly payments. Like other types of personal loans, travel loans have predetermined repayment periods that usually last between 24 and 60 months.
Unless you can afford to pay off a travel loan quickly or the trip is absolutely necessary, you should consider other ways to pay for vacation before using a vacation loan. You may really need a getaway, but tending to your financial health is an important part of self-care.
Our methodology
We reviewed more than 30 lenders that offer vacation loans to determine the overall best six lenders according to these metrics. According to our systematic rating and review process, the best vacation loans come from Discover, LightStream, Prosper, SoFi, Upgrade and Upstart.
Accessibility. We look for lenders with fewer barriers to approval and award points for lower credit requirements, nationwide access, fast funding and simple applications.
Rates and terms. We prioritize lenders that offer low starting rates, minimal fees, flexible terms and APR discount opportunities.
Repayment experience. We choose lenders with strong reputations, convenient self-service tools, responsive support and borrower-friendly perks.
Why trust our methodology?
LendingTree’s writers and editors diligently vet dozens of lenders to narrow down which ones offer the most affordable rates and a customer-centered experience. We have ongoing conversations with loan companies to ensure accuracy and collect first-person feedback to understand the holistic process of getting and repaying a loan.
Using my financial health counseling certification, I’m here to walk you through the important — and sometimes stressful — process of understanding your personal finances and credit.
Amanda’s experience in editing and financial education helps shape LendingTree articles that are clear, accurate and truly useful to readers. Her certification means our recommendations are built on a foundation of consumer-first financial knowledge — not just numbers.