We all love the experience of a vacation! Isn’t it? One of the most incredible and albeit popular destinations is the United States of America. But it is one thing to let yourself be bewitched by the idea and possibilities of the trip and another to sit down and chalk out a travel budget to bring down the pocket pinch. So, why not dedicate some time to this discussion so that you can get a few steps closer to your dream destination? Here are some of the most common consumer expenditures that may occur during vacations across individual categories:

• Food and entertainment 
• Lodging 
• Transportation 
• Average cost of a vacation

What is the average cost of a vacation?

The cost of travelling can vary considerably, depending on whether you’re taking your kids along, going solo to visit a college buddy for a weekend, or planning a fun family vacation. The average cost incurred during a trip varies as some people choose to be frugal,    taking short road trips from city to city, while others choose to fly across the country to the cities of their choice.

What are the various costs associated with staying in the USA for an international trip?

Here’s a brief overview of the costs associated with an international trip. On average, if we consider that the trip is scheduled to carry on for 12 nights then here are the various costs associated per international trip for a person. Here’s a quick breakdown of the major costs that you might incur:

• Transportation – $1,755
• Lodging – $683
• Food/Alcohol – $520
• Entertainment -$293 
• Total cost – $3,251

The average cost per day is  $271 for staying in the USA. However, remember that these expenses for vacationers are generalised and will not be the same for all vacationers. For example, if you have friends you can stay with, you wouldn’t need to pay anything for your lodging expenses.

Vacation expenditures vary across age groups, as people nearing retirement spend four times more on trips than younger people aged  25 or below. So, if you’re thinking of a family trip to the U.S.,  you might need to plan your finances better and in advance.

Costs have significantly increased in the past decade. For example, for a typical trip to the US, people spend an average of about $581. On average, the travel costs come up to $144 per day and are the same for people who took an international vacation in the year 2013. The average cost in the year 2013, came out to be $3,250 for a single fortnight abroad. It means it comes to about $250 to $271 per night. The amount has risen considerably in recent years from $2000 in the year 2005. Rising costs are also another reason you need to consider travel insurance to reduce the impact of financial losses on the road.

What is the transportation cost like while travelling and staying in the U.S?

Transportation can also add up, especially if you’re planning on going on road trips from city to city or even state to state! This can prove to be quite heavy on 

The typical family travelling on an international visa can end up spending about 44% of their travel funds going to, from and around their destinations. They spend on average more than $2,100 every single year just on the transportation costs for their vacations. The figure also spans a variety of different modes of transportation that range from driving a family-owned car and taking cruises. Let us take a look at the average costs that you will incur as a household while staying within the USA.

• Airline fares – $3304
• Intercity bus travel – $252
• Trains between cities – $521
• Local transportation for out-of-town trips – $202
• Taxis/car-service on out-of-town trips – $119
• Ship expenses – $2456
• Gas expenses for trips out-of-town – $669
• Parking for out-of-town-trips – $17 
• Tolls for out-of-town trips – $71

The flying costs are much higher whenever a vacation involves an airport! Even Americans themselves choose to buy a plane ticket in a given quarter and end up spending more than $3,304 on airfare on average.

However, there are certain loopholes that you can utilise to make the most of your buck, such as using your frequent flyer miles (these are free miles that travellers who use credit cards get. You can get cheaper flights if you buy them seven weeks before your trip starts or during the busy summer season.

If you are trying to travel during the busy summer season,  you will need to book about 11 months in advance (three months) before your travel dates, especially if you’re hoping for low-cost airfare. You will need a plane ticket along with other transportation costs that can take up a significant amount of your budget. The transportation cost can end up accounting to about 39% of the overall cost of domestic vacation trips.

What are the costs associated with travelling by car?

More than 6% of travellers end up paying for local transportation such as taxis, especially as part of their yearly vacation budget. Most families own or are leasing their vehicles whenever they go for trips, and if you’re planning to rent a car or truck for a vacation it can end up accounting for 2% which comes up to  $1,223 on average.

What is the lodging cost for staying a night in the United States of America?

There are a few people who have the good fortune of being able to stay with friends and family. However, more than 60% of people are also paying for accommodations and they do not need to pay for lodging. Those who do end up spending this amount have spent an average of $2,158 over the course of a single year. The lodging costs are on a much higher scale for visitors who travel internationally, who might end up paying more than 60% for their accommodations. On average, the people who pay for lodging spend an average of $2,158 over the course of a year. The costs associated with lodging account for about 26% of total expenditures for domestic and 21% for international trips.

In the U.S, the average cost of a hotel room comes up to $141 per night, however, if you rent a room in someone else’s home with a service like Airbnb it is much cheaper than staying at a hotel. This depends from city to city and there are credit card rewards. The perks that you get can be applied for both hotel stays along with other travel perks in squeezing more out of a vacation.

Many U.S families have found various ways in sleeping cheaper with things such as RVs, campsites, or other long-term rental homes. It is reported that on average people spend about $87 per night for lodging on domestic trips along with maybe a dollar or two per night whenever travelling abroad.

What is the cost of food on vacation?

It is possible to spend up to $33 per day on food while having a vacation in the U.S. More than 80% of people have spent that amount within restaurants and vacationers will spend around $27 at restaurants and just about $6 on food that they end up preparing themselves. However, on international trips, people will spend a little more than $35 every single day with nearly 90% of all their funds being spent on meals from restaurants. On international trips, people spend just a little bit about $35 per day; with nearly 90% of those funds devoted to restaurant meals.

On an average vacation day, the food costs per vacation on an international trip for a 12-night stay can come up to $378 whereas the food prepared by staying at home comes up to $42. In many cases, a lot of people look forward to vacation as the time to relax and drink alcohol without much regard. However, those who indulge in drinking alcohol can spend about $380 just on simple beer, wine, and liquor without guilt. Just 12% of Americans have reported purchasing alcoholic beverages on trips whereas 18% pay for drinks at restaurants and bars, either in their hometowns or while they are away. Food along with alcohol can however account for a huge budget of about 16% of the budget for an American’s international trips and 27% of domestic trips.