The average price of a 7-day trip to Madison is $1,957 for a solo traveler, $3,515 for a couple, and $6,589 for a family of 4. Madison hotels range from $80 to $367 per night with an average of $134, while most vacation rentals will cost $230 to $880 per night for the entire home. Average worldwide flight costs to Dane County Regional-Truax Field Airport (MSN) are between $556 and $821 per person for economy flights and $1,745 to $2,576 for first class. Depending on activities, we recommend budgeting $69 to $105 per person per day for transportation and enjoying local restaurants.
See below for average, budget, and luxury trip costs. You can also look up flight costs from your airport for more tailored flight pricing.
The Cheapest Times to Visit Madison, WI, US
On average, these will be the cheapest dates to fly to MSN and stay in a Madison hotel:
- January 8th to March 4th
- April 16th to April 29th
- August 6th to November 18th (except the week of October 15th)
The absolute cheapest time to take a vacation in Madison is usually early September.
Average Madison Trip Costs
Average Solo Traveler
The average cost for one person to visit Madison for a week is $1,431-$2,924($204-$418 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $69 to $105 per day for one person’s daily expenses
Flights: $372 to $731 for economy
Lodging: $96 to $143 per night for one 2 or 3-star hotel room
or $199 to $243 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Average Couple’s Trip
The average cost for a couple to visit Madison for a week is $2,654-$4,570($379-$653 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $138 to $210 per day for two people’s daily expenses
Flights: $744 to $1,462 for economy
Lodging: $96 to $143 per night for one 2 or 3-star hotel room
or $199 to $243 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Average Family Vacation
The average cost for 4 people to visit Madison for a week is $4,572-$8,054($653-$1,151 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $276 to $420 per day for four people’s daily expenses
Flights: $1,488 to $2,924 for economy
Lodging: $192 to $286 per night for two 2 or 3-star hotel rooms
or $279 to $365 per night for a 2-bed vacation rental
Traveling Cheap to Madison
How cheap can you make a vacation to Madison? The cheapest trip to Madison is about $141 per person per day for travelers willing to take standby flights, deal with inconvenience, and otherwise limit travel expenses. About 0% of rentals are available in the $0 to $100 range for an entire place, and vacation rentals can be booked for as low as $130 per night. These inexpensive rentals must be booked as early as possible and may not be in the most desirable areas. 1-star hotels are more likely to be available, with rooms starting at around $68.
Even cheaper trips are possible depending on where you live and whether you can drive. Check the cheapest times to fly for more saving ideas.
Budget Solo Traveler
The lowest cost for one person to visit Madison for a week is $990-$2,118($141-$303 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $30 to $61 per day for one person’s daily expenses
Flights: $372 to $731 for economy
Lodging: $68 to $80 per night for one 1-star hotel room
or $130 to $160 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Budget Couple’s Trip
The lowest cost for a couple to visit Madison for a week is $1,572-$3,276($225-$468 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $60 to $122 per day for two people’s daily expenses
Flights: $744 to $1,462 for economy
Lodging: $68 to $80 per night for one 1-star hotel room
or $130 to $160 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Budget Family Vacation
The lowest cost for 4 people to visit Madison for a week is $3,144-$5,976($449-$854 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $120 to $244 per day for four people’s daily expenses
Flights: $1,488 to $2,924 for economy
Lodging: $136 to $160 per night for two 1-star hotel rooms
or $182 to $224 per night for a 2-bed vacation rental
Overall it is very difficult to travel to Madison cheaply.
The Cost of a Luxury Madison Trip
There is no true ceiling on the cost of a luxury trip, so our estimates are based on what most people do in Madison.
Luxury Solo Traveler
The high-end price for one person to visit Madison for a week is $2,920-$12,608($417-$1,801 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $124 to $221 per day for one person’s daily expenses
Flights: $930 to $1,557 for first class
Lodging: $187 to $367 per night for one 4 or 5-star hotel room
or $880 to $1,584 per night for a preferred vacation rental
Luxury Couple’s Trip
The high-end price for a couple to visit Madison for a week is $4,718-$15,712($674-$2,245 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $248 to $442 per day for two people’s daily expenses
Flights: $1,860 to $3,114 for first class
Lodging: $187 to $367 per night for one 4 or 5-star hotel room
or $880 to $1,584 per night for a preferred vacation rental
Luxury Family Vacation
The high-end price for 4 people to visit Madison for a week is $9,436-$26,672($1,348-$3,810 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $496 to $884 per day for four people’s daily expenses
Flights: $3,720 to $6,228 for first class
Lodging: $374 to $734 per night for two 4 or 5-star hotel rooms
or $1,408 to $2,376 per night for a preferred vacation rental
Madison Hotel Prices
The cost of staying in Madison is much higher than the average city. On average hotels are less expensive than vacation rentals. Luxury vacation rentals are more expensive in Madison due to very high property costs. The graphs below show how much cost can vary depending on the type of experience you’re looking for.
Madison Lodging Cost by Star Status
The average price for the class of hotel is on the (y) axis. The hotel class (out of 5 stars) is on the (x) axis.
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Prices are based on Madison hotel averages and may not reflect current prices. In some cases, we extrapolate prices to estimate costs, and hotels with your desired star rating may not be available.
Vacation Rental Prices
The percent of vacation rentals in the price range is on the left (y) axis. Price range is on the bottom (x) axis.
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There are a healthy amount of vacation rentals serving all budgets in Madison.
Flight Costs to Madison
Averaging flights around the world, prices go from a high of $821 average in late July to a low of $556 in early September. Median flight price is $500. These prices are based on millions of flights. For Madison our data includes 442 originating airports, and 94 airlines. The area has average variance in price compared with other locations. Flying to Madison from an airport like Shevchenko (SCO) in Aktau (Kazakhstan) for an average $7,009 trip fare will obviously cost a lot more than from an airport like Minneapolis-St Paul International (MSP) in Minneapolis, MN (the United States) at an average of just $187.
Average Flight Cost by Season
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Average Flight Cost by Day of Week
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The cheapest day to fly in is typically Tuesday, and the cheapest day to fly back is usually Tuesday. Click here to see data for the cost of flights from your airport. In Madison, the difference between the cheapest and the most expensive week is about $265, so you can easily save about 48% simply by using our free flight guides and booking in advance.
Daily Expenses Budget
Daily vacation expenses vary more based on what you’re interested in doing. A fine dining restaurant with drinks around Madison can easily cost $460 per person or more, while a standard nice meal might be about $30 per person. Private tours can cost $915 per day, but self-guided tours to see the outdoor sights can be free. Costs vary wildly, so recommendations are made based on the cost of living and averages we see for this type of vacation.