Best Vacation Loans in 2026
Compare our top vacation loan picks, including Discover for no fees and SoFi for same-day funding
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- Vacation loans are unsecured personal loans. Any lender that offers personal loans can technically offer a vacation loan.
- Your credit score is the biggest factor in your rate. Excellent credit borrowers pay an average APR of 12.15%, compared to 29.05% for poor credit borrowers.
- Only borrow what you need. You pay interest on every dollar, and even a $5,000 loan can cost over $4,500 in interest if your credit is poor.
- A 0% intro APR credit card is almost always cheaper than a vacation loan if you can pay off the balance before the intro period ends.
| Lender | User rating | Best for | APR | Term | Amount | See Results |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
No fees | 6.99% to 24.99% | 36 to 84 months |
$2.5k – $40k |
||
|
Co-applicants | 8.99% to 35.99% | 24 to 72 months |
$2k – $50k |
||
|
Same-day funding | 6.99% to 35.49% (with discounts) | 24 to 84 months |
$5k – $100k |
||
|
Fair credit | 7.74% to 35.99% (with discounts) | 24 to 84 months |
$1k – $50k |
||
|
Bad credit | 6.20% to 35.99% | 36 or 60 months |
$1k – $75k |
Read more about how we made our picks for the best vacation loans.
Top lenders for vacation loans
Best for: No fees – Discover
- APR
- 6.99% to 24.99%
- No origination, prepayment or late fees
- Get money as soon as the next business day
- Among the lowest starting rates on this list
- High minimum credit score requirement
- Can’t apply with another person
Discover charges no origination, prepayment or late fees, making it one of the cheapest ways to borrow for a trip if you have good credit. Plus, Discover offers fast funding — you could see money in your account as soon as the next business day, which is helpful if you need to book quickly. (Need money faster? Check out SoFi.)
Discover only accepts credit scores of 720 and above, so consider Prosper, Upgrade or Upstart if you have fair or bad credit.
Read our full Discover personal loan review to learn more.
- Age: Be at least 18
- Citizenship: Have a Social Security number
- Administrative: Have a physical address, email address and internet access
- Income: Minimum income of $25,000 (individually or as a household)
- Credit score: 720+
Best for: Co-applicants – Prosper
- APR
- 8.99% to 35.99%
- Apply with a co-applicant to improve approval odds
- Borrow as little as $2,000
- Get money as soon as one business day
- Charges upfront fee of 1.00% – 9.99% on every loan
Prosper lets you apply with a co-applicant, which can improve your approval odds and potentially lower your rate.
If you’re worried your credit will keep you from getting a loan, Prosper’s lower minimum credit score of 560 gives you more options than lenders like Discover. However, you’ll pay an origination fee of 1.00% – 9.99%, which Prosper deducts from your loan before sending it to you.
Read our full Prosper personal loan review to learn more.
- Age: Be 18 or older
- Administrative: Have a U.S. bank account and Social Security number
- Residency: Must live in an eligible U.S. state (Prosper operates in most states, with only a small number of states excluded)
- Credit score: 560+
Best for: Same-day funding – SoFi
- APR (with discounts)
- 6.99% to 35.49%
Terms and conditions apply. SOFI RESERVES THE RIGHT TO MODIFY OR DISCONTINUE PRODUCTS AND BENEFITS AT ANY TIME WITHOUT NOTICE. To qualify, a borrower must be a U.S. citizen or other eligible status, be residing in the U.S., and meet SoFi’s underwriting requirements. Not all borrowers receive the lowest rate. Lowest rates reserved for the most creditworthy borrowers. If approved, your actual rate will be within the range of rates at the time of application and will depend on a variety of factors, including term of loan, evaluation of your creditworthiness, income, and other factors. If SoFi is unable to offer you a loan but matches you for a loan with a participating bank, then your rate may be outside the range of rates listed above. Rates and Terms are subject to change at any time without notice. SoFi Personal Loans can be used for any lawful personal, family, or household purposes and may not be used for post-secondary education expenses. Minimum loan amount is $5,000. The average of SoFi Personal Loans funded in 2025 was around $32K. Information current as of 07/20/26. SoFi Personal Loans originated by SoFi Bank, N.A. Member FDIC. NMLS #696891 (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org). See SoFi.com/legal for state-specific license details. See SoFi.com/eligibility for details and state restrictions. Fixed rates from 6.99% APR to 35.49% APR. APR reflect the 0.25% autopay interest rate discount and a 0.25% member rate discount. SoFi Platform personal loans are made either by SoFi Bank, N.A. or , Cross River Bank, a New Jersey State Chartered Commercial Bank, operating from its Delaware branch, Member FDIC, Equal Housing Lender. SoFi may receive compensation if you take out a loan originated by Cross River Bank. These rate ranges are current as of 07/20/26 and are subject to change without notice. Not all rates and amounts available in all states. See SoFi Personal Loan eligibility details at https://www.sofi.com/eligibilitycriteria/#eligibility-personal. Not all applicants qualify for the lowest rate. Lowest rates reserved for the most creditworthy borrowers. Your actual rate will be within the range of rates listed above and will depend on a variety of factors, including evaluation of your credit worthiness, income, and other factors. Loan amounts range from $5,000– $100,000. The APR is the cost of credit as a yearly rate and reflects both your interest rate and an origination fee of 9.99% of your loan amount for Cross River Bank originated loans which will be deducted from any loan proceeds you receive and for SoFi Bank originated loans have an origination fee of 0%-7%, will be deducted from any loan proceeds you receive. Autopay: The SoFi 0.25% autopay interest rate reduction requires you to agree to make monthly principal and interest payments by an automatic monthly deduction from a savings or checking account. The benefit will discontinue and be lost for periods in which you do not pay by automatic deduction from a savings or checking account. Autopay is not required to receive a loan from SoFi. Member Rate Discount: To be eligible for an additional 0.25% interest rate reduction on a Personal Loan, you must, within 31 days of loan funding, either (1) meet SoFi Plus eligibility criteria, (2) receive an Eligible Direct Deposit into a SoFi Checking or Savings account, or (3) receive at least $5,000 in Qualifying Deposits into a SoFi Checking or Savings account. You must continue to meet at least one of the above eligibility criteria every 31 days to maintain the discount. See the SoFi Plus terms for details on SoFi Plus subscription. For more details on Eligible Direct Deposit or Qualifying Deposits, please see https://www.sofi.com/legal/banking-rate-sheet. Once you become eligible during the initial period, the discount will be removed or reinstated depending on whether the criteria have been met. Each time your loan is re-amortized, your monthly payment amount will change based upon the interest rate that was in place. SoFi reserves the right to modify or terminate this offer at any time for unenrolled participants. You are not required to meet these criteria to be approved for a loan.
- Get money as soon as the same day
- No required fees
- Choose a short or long loan term to fit your timeline and budget
- Must borrow at least $5,000
- May have to pay an upfront fee to get lower rates
SoFi transfers your money as soon as the same day you close on your loan — some of the fastest funding on the market and a strong pick if you need to book quickly. Plus, you can customize your SoFi loan term to fit your budget. Either stretch it out for smaller payments or choose a shorter term to save on interest.
SoFi loans start at $5,000, so if you need a smaller vacation loan, consider one of the other lenders on this list. Avoid borrowing more than you need, since you’ll pay interest on the full loan amount. Also, keep in mind that qualifying for SoFi’s lowest rates may require paying an origination fee.
Read our full SoFi personal loan review to learn more.
- Age: Be the age of majority in your state (typically 18)
- Citizenship: Be a U.S. citizen, an eligible permanent resident or a non-permanent resident (a DACA recipient or asylum seeker, for instance)
- Employment: Have a job or job offer with a start date within 90 days, or have regular income from another source
- Credit score: 600+
Best for: Fair credit – Upgrade
- APR (with discounts)
- 7.74% to 35.99%
- Get money as soon as the next business day
- No prepayment fees
- Borrow as little as $1,000
- Choose a short or long loan term to fit your timeline and budget
- Charges upfront fee of 1.85% – 9.99% on every loan
Upgrade offers loans for fair credit with flexible repayment terms and a low $1,000 minimum — a good fit if you need to borrow a smaller amount for your trip.
You may qualify with a credit score as low as 600, but expect high rates. Like Prosper, SoFi and Upstart, Upgrade caps its rates at just under 36%, the threshold that finance experts consider the upper limit of affordable loan rates.
Read our full Upgrade personal loan review to learn more.
- Age: Be at least 18 years old (19 in some states)
- Citizenship: Be a U.S. citizen, permanent resident or live in the U.S. with a valid visa
- Administrative: Have a valid bank account and email address
- Credit score: 600+
Best for: Bad credit – Upstart
- APR
- 6.20% to 35.99%
- Can still qualify with bad, thin or no credit
- Get money as soon as the next business day
- No prepayment fees
- Origination fee amount isn’t disclosed upfront
- Only offers two repayment periods
Upstart looks beyond your credit score, weighing factors like income and education, making it one of the few options for borrowers with bad, thin or no credit.
However, if you have bad credit, rates may be high and you may need to pay an origination fee. Plus, while other lenders offer several loan terms, Upstart’s repayment periods are limited to just two options: 36 or 60 months.
Read our full Upstart personal loan review to learn more.
- Age: Be 18 or older
- Administrative: Have a U.S. address, personal banking account, email address and Social Security number
- Income: Have a valid source of income, including a job, job offer or another regular income source
- Credit-related factors: No bankruptcies within the last three years, reasonable number of recent inquiries on your credit report and no current delinquencies
- Credit score: None
What to know about vacation loans
You can use a personal loan to cover your next trip, but it’s smart to learn about personal loans before you start applying. Here’s what you need to know about vacation loans:
-
Cost of vacation loans
Even the best vacation loans cost money in interest and fees, which add up to hundreds or thousands of dollars. Learn more about how much vacation loans cost. -
Qualifying for a vacation loan
Every personal loan lender has its own eligibility requirements, but some lenders specialize in offering loans for bad or fair credit. Just know you’ll pay more for these loans than you would with good or excellent credit. -
Risks
When you borrow money with a vacation loan, you risk taking on payments you can’t afford. A personal loan calculator can help you compare offers and stay within your budget.
When it comes to how people feel about borrowing for vacation, results are mixed. Just over one in five Americans have gone into debt for vacation, but 62% regret it. Interestingly, parents of young children who borrow to take their kids to Disney disagree — 59% say they don’t regret it.
That financial anxiety is widespread. A 2026 LendingTree survey found that 84% of Americans planning to travel this summer are concerned about affording their ideal trip.
Avoid post-vacay regrets by considering other ways to pay for vacation and keeping vacation loan costs down.
Pros and cons of using a personal loan for vacation
PROS
- Can make your travel plans a reality if you need money now
- Build credit with consistent payments
- Come with fixed monthly payments and a specific end date
CONS
- Your vacation will cost more than it would if you had saved up in advance
- It will likely take years to pay off your vacation
- Taking on debt for non-essential expenses can lead to a cycle of borrowing
- Missing payments will damage your credit score
How much will your vacation loan cost?
Every vacation loan charges interest, and the cost can add up fast. Here’s what you should expect to pay based on your credit score and loan amount, assuming a 60-month (or five-year) repayment term.
| Average APR* | Monthly payment on $5,000 vacation loan | Cost of interest on $5,000 vacation loan | Monthly payment on $10,000 vacation loan | Cost of interest on $10,000 vacation loan | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Excellent (800 and above) | 12.15% | $111.60 | $1,696.10 | $223.20 | $3,392.19 |
| Very good (740-799) | 15.54% | $120.37 | $2,222.30 | $240.74 | $4,444.59 |
| Good (670-739) | 20.61% | $134.17 | $3,050.33 | $268.34 | $6,100.66 |
| Fair (580-669) | 25.78% | $149.05 | $3,943.11 | $298.10 | $7,886.22 |
| Poor (under 580) | 29.05% | $158.86 | $4,531.70 | $317.72 | $9,063.39 |
Rules of thumb:
- The better your credit, the cheaper your loan. It’s possible to get a loan with bad credit, but you’ll pay higher rates.
- The more you borrow, the more interest you’ll pay. Only borrow what you absolutely need. You’ll pay interest on every cent you borrow.
- Your loan term affects how much you’ll pay. Shorter loan terms mean higher monthly payments but lower overall interest to be paid. Choose the shortest term with monthly payments you can comfortably afford.
Calculate your vacation loan payments
How to save money on a vacation loan
The best way to save money on a vacation loan is to qualify for a lower rate. Here are four ways to do it:
- Work on your credit. If you have time before takeoff, spend some time improving your credit score. A LendingTree study showed that personal loan borrowers could save an average of $1,804 by raising their credit scores from fair to very good.
- Apply with another person. Adding a second person to your loan application can decrease your risk in the eyes of a lender. If you choose to take out a loan with a cosigner, remember that both of you will be legally responsible for paying off the loan.
- Apply for a secured loan. Secured loans come with lower rates in exchange for collateral like a savings account, car or real estate. Your lender can seize your collateral if you miss payments.
- Shop around. Shopping around — or getting quotes from multiple lenders and choosing the cheapest one — could save you thousands on your vacation loan.
When banks compete, you win
You shop around for flights. Why not your loan? LendingTree makes it easy. Fill out one form and get lenders from the country’s largest network to compete for your business.
Tell us what you need
Take two minutes to tell us who you are and how much money you need. It’s free, simple and secure.
Shop your offers
LendingTree users get 11 personal loan offers on average. Compare your offers side by side to get the best deal.
Get your money
Pick a lender and sign your loan paperwork. You could see money in your account in as soon as 24 hours.
Alternatives to vacation loans
The best way to pay for a vacation is to save your money in advance to avoid taking on debt you can’t afford. But if you need money now, the cheapest option is a 0% intro APR credit card. Here’s why:
-
$0 in interest or fees
You won’t pay interest as long as you pay off the card during the introductory period. That means the vacation won’t cost extra money. -
Less time in debt
You should pay off your vacation in the 0% introductory period, which typically lasts between six and 21 months. All things considered, that’s not a long time to be in debt.
Here’s how the numbers compare for a $3,000 vacation:
| Monthly payment | Time until paid off | Total amount paid | Our verdict | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saving up | $125 (to a savings account) | 2 years | $3,000 | Best financial choice (but you’ll need to wait to take your trip) |
| 0% intro APR credit card | $142.86 | 21 months | $3,000 | Best option if you need to travel now |
- Saving up: $3,000/24 monthly payments = $125. We chose a two-year (24-month) period to save because the $125 monthly “payment” to your savings account is similar to the monthly payments for the 0% intro APR card and vacation loan.
- 0% intro APR credit card: $3,000/21 monthly payments = $142.86. 0% intro APR credit cards come with a set introductory period, usually six to 21 months. We chose a long introductory period in order to keep the monthly payments as low as possible.
Whether you save up or take out a loan, paying for flights and hotels with a travel credit card can reap rewards points and miles to offset the cost of your next trip. Think free hotel nights, airfare credits and priority boarding. LendingTree chief consumer finance analyst Matt Schulz puts it simply: “The right card, used wisely, can extend your travel budget.
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How we chose the best vacation loans
We reviewed more than 40 lenders and loan marketplaces that offer vacation loans to determine the overall best six lenders. To make our list, lenders must offer loans for vacation with competitive interest rates.
From there, we assessed each lender across four categories: eligibility and access, cost to borrow, loan terms and options, repayment support and tools.
According to our standardized rating system, the best vacation loans come from Discover, Prosper, SoFi, Upgrade and Upstart.
Our categories
We assess how easy it is for people to qualify and apply. This includes state availability, soft-credit prequalification, membership requirements, funding speed and whether borrowers with less-than-excellent credit can get a loan.
We evaluate how affordable the loans are based on minimum and maximum APRs, loan fees and rate discounts. Lenders with unclear or potentially predatory costs receive lower scores.
We consider repayment term flexibility, loan amount ranges and whether options like secured loans, joint loans or direct-to-creditor payments are offered — plus whether the lender clearly communicates these options.
We evaluate borrower experience after funding: customer service access, hardship or forbearance programs, payment flexibility and digital tools like mobile apps or credit monitoring.
Our process
We gather data directly from companies through their websites, disclosures and direct communication with company representatives. Our editorial team verifies and updates information regularly. We value transparency and award less favorable scores when lenders obscure or omit details.
Our editorial team applies the same scoring model and standards to every lender. Lenders cannot pay to influence our ratings. Read more about our editorial guidelines.
Why trust our methodology?
LendingTree’s writers and editors diligently vet dozens of lenders to narrow down which ones offer the most affordable rates and a customer-centered experience. We have ongoing conversations with loan companies to ensure accuracy and collect first-person feedback to understand the holistic process of getting and repaying a loan.
Using my financial health counseling certification, I’m here to walk you through the important — and sometimes stressful — process of understanding your personal finances and credit.
Amanda’s experience in editing and financial education helps shape LendingTree articles that are clear, accurate and truly useful to readers. Her certification means our recommendations are built on a foundation of consumer-first financial knowledge — not just numbers.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, you can use a loan for most purposes, including a vacation. Your lender will ask how you plan to use the money during the application process, and you can specify that you plan to use it for a vacation at that time.
You’ll borrow the amount you need to pay for your trip and pay it back over time in equal monthly payments. Like other types of personal loans, travel loans have predetermined repayment periods that usually last between 24 and 60 months.
Taking on a small amount of debt for a special occasion like a dream vacation can be okay, but caution is key. “You don’t want to take on too much debt too often,” says LendingTree chief consumer finance analyst Matt Schulz. If you do borrow, consider other ways to pay first and make sure the monthly payments fit comfortably in your budget.