Summer travel can be a little on the pricy side, and 2026 could be a bit worse for your wallet than past years.
Regardless of how you’re traveling, costs are up. The average price of gas was $4.15 as of April 10, a 39% jump from $2.98 on Feb. 26 — two days before the Iran war began. It’s also the first time a gallon cost more than $4 since the summer of 2022. Meanwhile, airfares rose by 2.7% in March, and have climbed more than 14% since last year.
It’s unclear whether these prices will come down, so it could be a good idea to look for alternative ways to make your summer vacation more affordable. CNBC Select rounded up some top tools to help, from making sure your trip is protected to some cheaper ways to fill up your tank or snag airline tickets.
Tips for affordable summer travel
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Find affordable travel insurance
From an injury that results in canceling your trip, to an illness that requires paying for medical expenses abroad, travel insurance can help you recoup lost funds. It can also compensate you for things like lost bags, flight delays, and rental car damage.
Oftentimes, travel insurance is relatively affordable, costing 4% to 10% of your trip’s total cost. However, each insurance company may consider your personal information, including your age and destination, differently when setting rates. Shopping around and comparing quotes from several insurers is the best way to find a good deal for you.
We like Squaremouth for insurance comparison shopping, as it compares rates from dozens of travel insurance brands side by side after just a few clicks on the site.
SquareMouth Travel Insurance Marketplace
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Policy highlights
SquareMouth is a travel insurance marketplace that allows you can compare top-rated providers, including Berkshire Hathaway, Nationwide, Seven Corners and Tin Leg.
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24/7 assistance available
Pros
- Includes more than 30 travel insurance companies
- You can compare providers side-by-side on the website
- SquareMouth doesn’t add additional markups or fees
- Carriers that don’t adequately address a customer complaint are removed
Cons
- Doesn’t provide travel insurance policies of its own
We’ve also named Faye as one of our top travel insurance companies for affordability. Its reasonable prices combined with the speedy, mobile-friendly claims process make this brand an excellent option for many travelers.
Faye Travel Insurance
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Policy highlights
Faye has one single-trip plan with optional add-ons for pet care, adventure sports and damage to vacation rentals.
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Emergency medical: $250,000
Medical evacuation: $500,000
Personal effects: $150 per item (up to $2,000 total) -
Cancel For Any Reason coverage
Up to 75% reimbursement of nonrefundable trip costs if purchased within 14 days of initial trip deposit.
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Pre-existing condition waiver
Available if policy is purchased within 14 days of initial trip deposit.
Pros
- $2,100 per person trip delay coverage after six hours
- 100% digital claims process
- Can add coverage for pet care and vacation rental damage
Cons
- Only one plan is available
- Rates are higher than some competitors
But before you buy, check if a credit card that’s already in your wallet has travel insurance coverage. The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees), for example, has travel insurance that covers baggage delay, lost luggage, travel accidents, trip delays and emergency assistance. This card also comes with primary auto rental coverage.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card packs a punch for a $95 annual fee card, offering annual travel credits, comprehensive travel protections and more.
- You can transfer rewards to all of Chase’s travel partners including World of Hyatt, Southwest Rapid Rewards and many more
- Long list of travel and shopping protections
- $50 annual Chase Travel hotel credit
- Has an annual fee
- Requires a high credit score
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select’s editorial staff.
- Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase TravelSM, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases
- Earn up to $50 in statement credits each account anniversary year for hotel stays through Chase TravelSM
- 10% anniversary points boost – each account anniversary you’ll earn bonus points equal to 10% of your total purchases made the previous year.
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
- Complimentary DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees & lower service fees for a min. of one year when you activate by 12/31/27. Plus, a $10 promo each month on non-restaurant orders.
- Member FDIC
Balance transfer fee
Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater
The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is a premium credit card with a myriad of benefits and a lower annual fee than other high-end cards with similar features.
- Annual $300 credit for bookings through Capital One Travel
- 10,000 bonus miles after every card anniversary
- Unlimited complimentary access to 1,300+ airport lounges, including Capital One Lounge and Landing locations
- Long list of valuable travel and shopping protections, including return protection, rental car coverage and trip delay reimbursement (Benefit(s) only available to accounts approved for the Visa Infinite card. Terms apply.)
- Limited bonus spending categories compared to other premium credit cards
- High annual fee
- High credit score requirement (excellent credit)
Highlights
- Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
- Receive a $300 annual credit for bookings through Capital One Travel, where you’ll get Capital One’s best prices on thousands of trip options
- Get 10,000 bonus miles (equal to $100 towards travel) every year, starting on your first anniversary
- Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on all other purchases
- Enjoy access to 1,300+ lounges worldwide, including Capital One Lounge and Landing locations and participating Priority Pass™ lounges, after enrollment
- Use your Venture X miles to easily cover travel expenses, including flights, hotels, rental cars and more—you can even transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Enjoy a $100 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Premier Collection
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
- Top rated mobile app
Balance transfer fee
$0 at the Transfer APR, 4% of the amount of each transferred balance that posts to your account at a promotional APR that Capital One may offer to you
Foreign transaction fees
On road trips, look for affordable ways to fuel and charge up
If your vacation plans involve a road trip, there are ways to minimize the pain at the pump. And, even if you’re driving an electric vehicle, costs away from home are significantly higher — the average charge at home costs about $0.17 per kilowatt-hour, while public stations cost an average of $0.37 per kilowatt-hour, according to clean energy comparison site Energysage.
Doing a bit of research before you fuel up or plug in can make a big difference. For example, using an app like GasBuddy can help you easily compare prices around you and save.
Gasbuddy App
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Features
Gasbuddy helps you find the cheapest gas near you in one easy-to-use app. It’s helped people find the best gas prices over 900 million times and save over $3.1 billion at the pump.
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App availability
Available in both the Apple App Store and the Google Play store
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Price
Additionally, signing up for a wholesale or warehouse club like Costco or Sam’s Club could cut costs. Gas prices at these clubs can be lower than those at smaller gas stations. When combined with the store’s credit card, deals can be even more lucrative.
For example, the Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi offers 5% back on gas at the club and 4% back on other eligible gas and EV charging, along with other rewards.
The Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi is a valuable card to pair with a Costco membership, but the rewards program is more restrictive than what you get with a typical cash-back card.
- High rewards rates for gas/EV charging and travel
- No foreign transaction fees
- Restrictive rewards that you can only cash out once per year
- Requires a paid Costco membership
- No welcome bonus
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select’s editorial staff.
- Discover one of Citi’s best cash back rewards cards designed exclusively for Costco members
- Earn 5% cash back rewards on gas at Costco and earn 4% cash back on other eligible gas and electric vehicle (EV) charging purchases for the first $7,000 combined spend per year, and then 1% thereafter.
- 3% cash back on restaurants and eligible travel purchases and eligible travel, including Costco Travel.
- 2% cash back on all other purchases from Costco and Costco.com
- 1% cash back on all other purchases
- No annual fee with your paid Costco membership and enjoy no foreign transaction fees on purchases
- Receive an annual credit card reward certificate, which is redeemable for cash or merchandise at U.S. Costco warehouses, including Puerto Rico
Balance transfer fee
5% of each balance transfer; $5 minimum
Foreign transaction fee
The Sam’s Club® Mastercard® is a great card to pair with your Sam’s Club membership, but less flexible than other reward cards, as it earns Sam’s Cash instead of direct cash back.
- High rewards rates for gas/EV charging
- Sam’s Cash doesn’t expire
- No foreign transaction fees
- Requires a paid Sam’s Club membership
- Caps the maximum Sam’s Cash you can earn per year at $5,000
Rewards
- Earn 5% Sam’s Cash™ on gas and EV charging (on first $6,000 per year, then 1%) at Sam’s Club
- Earn 3% back in Sam’s Cash™ on dining and takeout
- Earn 3% in Sam’s Cash™ on Sam’s Club purchases for Plus members (Club members earn 1%)
- Earn 1% back in Sam’s Cash™ on other purchases.
Foreign transaction fee
If you’d prefer a credit card that offers savings across all kinds of gas or EV stations, consider the PenFed Platinum Rewards Visa Signature® Card, as you’ll earn 5X on gas and EV stations. The rewards you earn can be redeemed for travel, gift cards or merchandise but can’t be transferred, so they stay within the PenFed ecosystem.
PenFed Platinum Rewards Visa Signature® Card
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Rewards
5X points on gas purchases at the pump and electrical vehicle charging stations, 3X points on purchases at the supermarket (including most Target and Walmart locations†), restaurants, and TV, radio, cable, streaming services
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Welcome bonus
15,000 points when you spend $1,500 in first 90 days
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Annual fee
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Intro APR
0% introductory APR for 12 months on balance transfers made in the first 60 days after account opening.*
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Regular APR
17.99% variable on purchases; 17.99% non-variable on balance transfers
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Balance transfer fee
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Foreign transaction fee
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Credit needed
Pros
- High 5X points on gas at the pump and 3X on supermarket purchases
- No bonus category activations
- Good special financing offer on balance transfers
*0% introductory APR for 12 months on balance transfers made in the first 60 days after account opening. After that, the APR for the unpaid balance and any new balance transfers will be a non-variable rate of 17.99%. 3% balance transfer fee per transaction. Subject to credit approval. If you take advantage of this balance transfer, you will immediately be charged interest on all purchases made with your credit card unless you pay the entire account balance, including balance transfers, in full each month by the payment due date.
If you were hoping to earn more flexible rewards on your gas purchases (and don’t mind missing out on EV rewards), you might want to lean toward the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express. This $95 annual fee card (see rates and fees) charges $0 for the first year and earns 3% cash back at eligible U.S. gas stations and on transit.
The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express is a low-fee card with generous cash-back rewards and useful ongoing benefits, such as a monthly Disney Bundle credit. (Enrollment required for select benefits mentioned)
- High cash-back earnings for U.S. supermarkets and streaming services
- Intro-APR offer for purchases and balance transfers
- No annual fee for the first year
- It’s less rewarding after the first year because of the annual fee
- Bonus rewards for U.S. supermarkets are capped
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select’s editorial staff.
- Apply and find out your welcome offer. As High As $300 cash back* after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply, and if approved: 1. Find out your offer amount 2. Accept the Card with your offer 3. Spend $3,000 in 6 months 4. Receive the cash back. *Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed for a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout.
- $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95.
- Enjoy 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 12 months from the date of account opening. After that, your APR will be a variable APR of 19.49%-28.49%.
- Plan It®: Buy now, pay later with Plan It. Split purchases of $100 or more into equal monthly installments with a fixed fee so you don’t have the pressure of paying all at once. Simply select the purchase in your online account or the American Express® App to see your plan options. Plus, you’ll still earn rewards on purchases the way you usually do.
- Earn 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in eligible purchases (then 1%), 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions, 3% cash back at eligible U.S. gas stations and on transit (including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more) purchases and 1% cash back on other purchases. Cash Back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit and at Amazon.com checkout.
- Get up to a $10 monthly statement credit after using your enrolled Blue Cash Preferred® Card for a subscription purchase, including a bundle subscription purchase, at DisneyPlus.com, Hulu.com, or Stream.ESPN.com U.S. websites. Subject to auto-renewal.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees
Balance transfer fee
Either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
Foreign transaction fee
2.7% of each transaction after conversion to US dollars
If you’re traveling abroad, consider an eSIM
If your summer travel is taking you outside the U.S., Select recommends researching an electronic SIM card for your phone, or eSIM. The roaming charges you could incur if you use your regular network abroad can really add up. Instead, an eSIM lets you add a second mobile plan digitally, without swapping physical SIM cards, allowing you to use local plans, which are often significantly cheaper.
Saily
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Coverage
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Starting price
Plans starting from $1.99
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Plan lengths
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Data plans
Data plans range from 1GB to 100GB
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Devices supported
Available on iOS, Android and other compatible devices
Pros
- 24/7 chat support through the Saily app
- Offers affordable plans with low starting prices
- Ability to add new destinations to an existing eSIM
- Supports personal hotspot usage
Cons
- Only offers data only plans
If you tend to be on your phone a lot while traveling, either for directions or uploading all your vacation photos, you might prefer an unlimited data plan. Holafly is a great option that puts an emphasis on unlimited data plans for Mexico, Europe, Japan, China and over 160 other destinations. While these plans are typically a little more expensive than some competitors, they’re a good option for people who don’t want to constantly check how much data they’re using.
Holafly
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Coverage
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Starting price
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Plan lengths
Plans range from 1 to 90 days
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Data plans
Data will vary based on the selected plan
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Devices supported
Available on iOS, Android and other compatible devices
Pros
- Strong unlimited data offerings
- Offers qualifying refunds for up to 6 months
- Can be reached 24/7 through chat support
- Users can share up to 500MB of data daily with qualifying plans
Cons
- Only offers data-only plans
- Prices start slightly higher than competitors
- Was not immediately responsive when contacted
Use the right tools to book flights
Flight deals are out there if you know how and where to search. Luckily, there are tools that make the process easy.
Going™
Pros
- Creates push alerts on your phone for fare price drops
- Allows you to search affordable routes from your home airport easily
- No credit card needed to use the free limited plan
Cons
- Limited members are restricted to seeing economy class deals from inside the US
And, if you have any travel points, this year’s summer trip might be the time to use them. Summer tends to be a peak time for travel, and prices can surge for these dates. But not every airline has its mileage or point system’s prices correlate with its cash prices. Some airlines still use a reward chart which set points values independently of cash prices. Using this alternative could help you find an even better deal when prices are high.
If you’re booking your travel far enough in advance, snagging some award seats — tickets booked with points or miles instead of cash — can cut your costs, but they get harder to find the closer you book to your travel date.
If you’re loyal to a certain airline, it might make sense to sign up for its credit card to snag helpful perks. The Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard has a $0 annual fee for the first year (then $95), and you’ll receive your first checked bag for free on domestic American Airlines flights and enjoy preferred boarding. You’ll also earn AAdvantage® miles on all your eligible American Airlines purchases, which typically get the best value when redeemed for future flights.
The Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® is worth considering if you fly with American Airlines once or twice a year because you’ll get your first checked bag free on domestic American Airlines itineraries.
- First checked bag free on eligible American Airlines flights for the cardholder and up to four travel companions on the same reservation
- No foreign transaction fees
- Preferred boarding
- American Airlines Flight Discount has a high spending requirement
- Has an annual fee
Rewards
- 2 AAdvantage® miles for every $1 spent at gas stations and restaurants, and on eligible American Airlines purchases
- 1 Loyalty Point for every 1 eligible AAdvantage® mile earned from purchases
Balance transfer fee
5% of each balance transfer; $5 minimum
Commonly, the rewards you earn from airline cards are only usable with the same airline, but if you’re looking for something more flexible, we suggest a more general travel card.
Find affordable accommodations
Whether you’re looking for a hotel room, vacation rental, bed-and-breakfast or anything in between, using the right tools can make booking a place to stay easy on you and your wallet.
One of our favorite places to look for a variety of accommodations is Hopper, an accredited travel agency that can help you search for hotels and home rentals, as well as flights and rental cars. Its price prediction tool, available only in the app, is based on trillions of data points and can help you book at just the right time.
Hopper
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Cost
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Standout features
Automatically track the pricing of desired flights, receive notifications about potential price increases and decreases, book flights and hotels through the platform, receive offers and discounts on your travel.
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Availability
Offered online and on both the App Store (for iOS) and on Google Play (for Android)
Pros
- Free to use
- Helps users find flight and hotel deals
- Users can track flight prices and predict the ideal time to purchase flights
- Price freeze feature lets users “hold” a flight at the current price while they decide if they really want to make the purchase
Cons
- Booking through a third-party platform, which means some flight and hotel protections may not be available like they would be if you had booked directly with the airline or hotel
Opening a credit card with hotel rewards, or using the cards you already have, can also help you keep costs low.
With the Citi Strata Premier® Card, you’ll earn 3X points on air travel and hotel purchases, and $100 off a single hotel stay of $500 or more (excluding taxes and fees) booked through cititravel.com. The card comes with a generous welcome offer of 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 in the first three months, and the points can be transferred to 22 different hotels or airlines, giving you lots of travel options.
The Citi Strata Premier® Card has competitive rewards rates and unlocks access to all of the Citi ThankYou® transfer partners, which boosts the value of your points.
- Unlocks point transfers to all of the Citi ThankYou® partners, including Emirates Skywards, Choice Privileges, Flying Blue and more
- Generous bonus spending categories include dining, supermarkets, hotels and flights
- Valuable welcome bonus
- Has an annual fee
- Car rental coverage is secondary, not primary
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select’s editorial staff.
- Earn 60,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening, redeemable for $600 in gift cards or travel rewards at thankyou.com.
- Earn 10 Points per $1 spent on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked on CitiTravel.com.
- Earn 3 Points per $1 on Air Travel and Other Hotel Purchases, at Restaurants, Supermarkets, Gas and EV Charging Stations.
- Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases
- $100 Annual Hotel Benefit: Once per calendar year, enjoy $100 off a single hotel stay of $500 or more (excluding taxes and fees) when booked through CitiTravel.com. Benefit applied instantly at time of booking.
- No expiration and no limit to the amount of points you can earn with this card
- No Foreign Transaction Fees on purchases
Balance transfer fee
Balance transfer fee applies with this offer 5% of each balance transfer; $5 minimum.
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At CNBC Select, our mission is to provide our readers with high-quality service journalism and comprehensive consumer advice so they can make informed decisions with their money. Every personal finance article is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of personal finance products. While CNBC Select earns a commission from affiliate partners on many offers and links, we create all our content without input from our commercial team or any outside third parties, and we pride ourselves on our journalistic standards and ethics.
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For rates and fees of the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express, click here.
Editorial Note: Opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Select editorial staff’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any third party.
Clinton Mora is a reporter for Trending Insurance News. He has previously worked for the Forbes. As a contributor to Trending Insurance News, Clinton covers emerging a wide range of property and casualty insurance related stories.