The average price of a 7-day trip to Washington is $1,716 for a solo traveler, $3,082 for a couple, and $5,778 for a family of 4. Washington hotels range from $79 to $302 per night with an average of $155, while most vacation rentals will cost $140 to $500 per night for the entire home. Average worldwide flight costs to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) are between $695 and $1,191 per person for economy flights and $2,181 to $3,737 for first class. Depending on activities, we recommend budgeting $69 to $125 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 Washington, DC, US
On average, these will be the cheapest dates to fly to DCA and stay in a Washington hotel:
- January 15th to March 18th
- August 6th to December 9th (except the week of November 26th)
The absolute cheapest time to take a vacation in Washington is usually mid to late September.
Average Washington Trip Costs
Average Solo Traveler
The average cost for one person to visit Washington for a week is $1,600-$2,680($229-$383 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $69 to $125 per day for one person’s daily expenses
Flights: $421 to $953 for economy
Lodging: $117 to $140 per night for one 2 or 3-star hotel room
or $116 to $142 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Average Couple’s Trip
The average cost for a couple to visit Washington for a week is $3,052-$4,984($436-$712 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $138 to $250 per day for two people’s daily expenses
Flights: $842 to $1,906 for economy
Lodging: $117 to $140 per night for one 2 or 3-star hotel room
or $116 to $142 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Average Family Vacation
The average cost for 4 people to visit Washington for a week is $4,660-$8,992($666-$1,285 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $276 to $500 per day for four people’s daily expenses
Flights: $1,684 to $3,812 for economy
Lodging: $234 to $280 per night for two 2 or 3-star hotel rooms
or $174 to $227 per night for a 2-bed vacation rental
Traveling Cheap to Washington
How cheap can you make a vacation to Washington? The cheapest trip to Washington is about $107 per person per day for travelers willing to take standby flights, deal with inconvenience, and otherwise limit travel expenses. About 1% of rentals are available in the $0 to $100 range for an entire place, and vacation rentals can be booked for as low as $20 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 $66.
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 Washington for a week is $751-$1,847($107-$264 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $30 to $60 per day for one person’s daily expenses
Flights: $421 to $953 for economy
Lodging: $66 to $79 per night for one 1-star hotel room
or $20 to $50 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Budget Couple’s Trip
The lowest cost for a couple to visit Washington for a week is $1,382-$3,220($197-$460 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $60 to $120 per day for two people’s daily expenses
Flights: $842 to $1,906 for economy
Lodging: $66 to $79 per night for one 1-star hotel room
or $20 to $50 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Budget Family Vacation
The lowest cost for 4 people to visit Washington for a week is $2,716-$6,440($388-$920 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $120 to $240 per day for four people’s daily expenses
Flights: $1,684 to $3,812 for economy
Lodging: $132 to $158 per night for two 1-star hotel rooms
or $32 to $70 per night for a 2-bed vacation rental
Overall it is very difficult to travel to Washington cheaply.
The Cost of a Luxury Washington Trip
There is no true ceiling on the cost of a luxury trip, so our estimates are based on what most people do in Washington.
Luxury Solo Traveler
The high-end price for one person to visit Washington for a week is $3,091-$10,082($442-$1,440 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $124 to $238 per day for one person’s daily expenses
Flights: $1,221 to $2,716 for first class
Lodging: $167 to $302 per night for one 4 or 5-star hotel room
or $500 to $950 per night for a preferred vacation rental
Luxury Couple’s Trip
The high-end price for a couple to visit Washington for a week is $5,180-$14,464($740-$2,066 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $248 to $476 per day for two people’s daily expenses
Flights: $2,442 to $5,432 for first class
Lodging: $167 to $302 per night for one 4 or 5-star hotel room
or $500 to $950 per night for a preferred vacation rental
Luxury Family Vacation
The high-end price for 4 people to visit Washington for a week is $10,360-$26,648($1,480-$3,807 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $496 to $952 per day for four people’s daily expenses
Flights: $4,884 to $10,864 for first class
Lodging: $334 to $604 per night for two 4 or 5-star hotel rooms
or $800 to $1,520 per night for a preferred vacation rental
Washington Hotel Prices
The cost of staying in Washington is much higher than the average city. On average hotels are less expensive than vacation rentals. Luxury vacation rentals are more expensive in Washington 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.
Washington 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 Washington 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 Washington.
Flight Costs to Washington
Averaging flights around the world, prices go from a high of $1,191 average in early January to a low of $695 in mid to late September. Median flight price is $767. These prices are based on millions of flights. For Washington our data includes 1,228 originating airports, and 151 airlines. The area has more variance in price compared with other locations. Flying to Washington from an airport like Supadio (PNK) in Pontianak (Indonesia) for an average $8,797 trip fare will obviously cost a lot more than from an airport like LaGuardia (LGA) in New York, NY (the United States) at an average of just $146.
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 Washington, the difference between the cheapest and the most expensive week is about $496, so you can easily save about 71% 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 Washington can easily cost $450 per person or more, while a standard nice meal might be about $30 per person. Private tours can cost $898 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.