Planning a Summer Road Trip? Here's How to Cut Costs

Three girls (6-8 years) sitting on rear seat of car on road trip — (Image credit: This content is subject to copyright.)

Summertime — warm weather, t-shirts, concerts in the park… and budget-friendly road trips. Errr, not so fast. And it looks like summer 2025 is shaping up to be the year of the road trip. According to a new GSTV survey, 84% of responders plan to use their own vehicle for a road trip this summer, and 56% plan to travel by car more than they did last summer.

There are a few different reasons while this seems to be the case for this year. Both higher flight prices and cheaper gas prices are root causes. According to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), the average domestic flight cost for 2024 was $384 per person. Although this isn't a drastic change from previous years, the rising cost of other household items like groceries and rent doesn't leave much wiggle room. For a family of four, that can quickly add up.

Average gas prices in America have slightly gone down: it's currently $3.18 per gallon, while 2024 prices averaged at $3.49.

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“Consumers may not have much control over some of the costs of their vacation, but there are many ways to prepare in advance so that they can save more,” says Rod Griffin, senior director of consumer education and advocacy for Experian. “I always suggest consumers make a budget before finalizing their vacation plans, then research costs for different accommodations, activities and experiences, and book those accordingly.”

Additionally, Griffin suggests leveraging credit cards to earn reward points and discounts to apply toward vacation plans.

Graph showing how much survey respondents are planning to spend on a Summer 2024 road trip.

How far will you go?

According to GSTV, 60% of people polled plan to drive over 300 miles this summer. Domestic beaches and/or resorts are at the top of their travel lists this summer; 58% call it their top destination versus the 23% of people who said they were visiting a National Park this summer.

Top three road trip expenses

A 2024 Experian survey noted that most road trippers said they expect gasoline (76%) and lodging (61%) to be the biggest expenses on their road trip, and another 47% say food will be one of their big-ticket items this summer.

Indications in 2024 were that gas prices were expected to be below average as a result of the U.S. releasing some of its fuel reserves, but they are not likely to fall below $3 per gallon. The same is shaping up to be true for summer 2025. Honestly, unless you're driving an electric car this summer, you’re looking for ways to save on gas.

Other anticipated costs

Other expected costs, according to Experian, while on the road are entertainment (18%), car maintenance (10%) and vehicle rental (6%). Understandably, 15% of those surveyed also mentioned insurance premium costs for their own vehicle or, if they rent, the additional coverage they'll either use or purchase for their rental.

Insurance costs have climbed more than 26% since 2023. As such, they have become a constant pain point among many motorists, even on vacation.

Griffin points out that, “consumers can consider splitting costs with friends or family members, sharing hotel rooms and packing food instead of eating out at restaurants for all of their meals to help cut back on some of these expenses.”

Test drive insurance premiums

According to Bankrate’s True Cost of Auto Insurance Report, the average cost of full coverage car insurance reached $2,638 in 2025. This was a pretty steep 12% increase from 2024.

"So, if you think this summer’s road trip may break your budget, Griffin adds, "it may be time to compare car insurance quotes online from top auto insurance carriers."

If you're rethinking your auto insurance, check out the tool below to help you compare rates, powered by Bankrate.

For the past 18+ years, Kathryn has highlighted the humanity in personal finance by shaping stories that identify the opportunities and obstacles in managing a person's finances. All the same, she’ll jump on other equally important topics if needed. Kathryn graduated with a degree in Journalism and lives in Duluth, Minnesota. She joined Kiplinger in 2023 as a contributor.