How much does it cost to travel to Alaska?
You should plan to spend around $243 per day on your vacation in Alaska. This is the average daily price based on the expenses of other visitors.
Past travelers have spent, on average for one day:
- $57 on meals
- $51 on local transportation
- $271 on hotels
A one week trip to Alaska for two people costs, on average, $3,404. This includes accommodation, food, local transportation, and sightseeing.
All of these average travel prices have been collected from other travelers to help you plan your own travel budget.
Independent Travel
Traveling Independently to Alaska has many benefits including affordabilty, freedom, flexibility, and the opportunity to control your own experiences.
All of the travel costs below are based on the experiences of other independent travelers.
Is Alaska expensive to visit?
Prices in Alaska are reasonable and comparable to your average travel destination. Hotels, food, and sightseeing are generally within normal price ranges.
Within North America, which is known to be an expensive region, Alaska is a moderately priced destination compared to other places. The overall cost of travel here is fair for the region and comparable to many other destinations.
For more details, and to find out if it's within your travel budget, see Is Alaska Expensive?
How much money do I need for a trip to Alaska?
The average Alaska trip cost is broken down by category here for independent travelers. All of these Alaska travel prices are calculated from the budgets of real travelers.
|
Category
|
Cost
|
|
Accommodation 1
(Double Occupancy)
|
$271
|
|
Local Transportation 1
|
$51
|
|
Food 2
|
$57
|
|
Entertainment 1
|
$65
|
|
Tips and Handouts 1
|
$8 -
23
|
|
Alcohol 2
|
$10 -
29
|
Accommodation Budget in Alaska
Calculated from travelers like you
The average price paid for one person for accommodation in Alaska is $135. For two people sharing a typical double-occupancy hotel room, the average price paid for a hotel room in Alaska is $271. This cost is from the reported spending of actual travelers.
Looking for a hotel in Alaska? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options.
Transportation Budget in Alaska
Calculated from travelers like you
-
The cost of a taxi ride in Alaska is significantly more than public transportation. On average, past travelers have spent $51 per person, per day, on local transportation in Alaska.
-
Transportation1
Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
$51
How much does it cost to go to Alaska? Naturally, it depends on the dates. We recommend Kayak because they can find the best deals across all airlines.
The price of renting a car in Alaska will depends on dates, the type of car, the location, and your age. We recommend Kayak because they can find the best deals across all car rental companies.
Food Budget in Alaska
Calculated from travelers like you
-
While meal prices in Alaska can vary, the average cost of food in Alaska is $57 per day. Based on the spending habits of previous travelers, when dining out an average meal in Alaska should cost around $23 per person. Breakfast prices are usually a little cheaper than lunch or dinner. The price of food in sit-down restaurants in Alaska is often higher than fast food prices or street food prices.
-
Food2
Meals for one day
$57
Entertainment Budget in Alaska
Calculated from travelers like you
-
Entertainment and activities in Alaska typically cost an average of $65 per person, per day based on the spending of previous travelers. This includes fees paid for admission tickets to museums and attractions, day tours, and other sightseeing expenses.
-
Entertainment1
Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
$65
Tips and Handouts Budget in Alaska
Calculated from travelers like you
Alcohol Budget in Alaska
Calculated from travelers like you
-
The average person spends about $20 on alcoholic beverages in Alaska per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
-
Alcohol2
Drinks for one day
$20
Alaska On a Budget
The wilderness of Alaska
Alaska joined the United States of America as the 49th state. The US purchased the area from the Russian Empire in 1867 for just 7.2 million dollars (about two cents an acre). It became an organized territory in 1912 and a state in 1959. It is separated from the rest of the country by Canada and, although it is the largest state, it is the least densely populated and for many years had the lowest population. It covers an area equal to California, Texas and Montana combined and lies on the Arctic Circle. Many people consider Alaska to be the United State's "final frontier" because of its vast wilderness. It is also where you will find the highest point in North America.
Because Alaska is so large with such a range of elevations, the climate is quite diverse. The climate in the southeast is a mid-latitude or subarctic oceanic climate. This is the wettest and warmest part of the state. In Anchorage and the south central part of the state the climate is milder than most areas with less rain. Western Alaska is effected by the Bering Sea and the Gulf of Alaska. It receives a lot of precipitation but has milder temperatures than you might expect. Interior Alaska is subarctic. Here you will find both the highest and lowest temperatures in the state.
Sights
Alaska is all about the natural beauty and wildlife. The vast size and remote nature of the state means that you can't possibly see all that it has to offer. Popular places to visit include Denali National Park, Prince William Sound, the Inside Passage and the Kenai Peninsula, among many, many other areas.
Regions
Alaska can be divided into five regions. Southeastern Alaska includes the Panhandle and Inland Passage. Southcentral Alaska includes Anchorage and the Kenai Peninsula. Southwestern Alaska includes the Alaskan Peninsula and the Aleutian Islands. Interior Alaska is where you will find Fairbanks and Arctic Alaska is where you will find Barrow, Nome and Kotzebue.
Activities
Alaska has no shortage of activities for wildlife lovers or adventure seekers. Popular activities include fishing, whale watching, rafting, glacier hiking and helicopter tours.
Food and Dining
Food in Alaska is notoriously expensive, although portions are usually generous and filling. There are local diners in most towns and they serve good breakfasts that often include reindeer (or pork) sausage, eggs, and hash. Uniquely Alaskan foods include fireweed honey, spruce tip syrup, and pretty much any type of seafood. King and snow crabs are some of the most popular as is halibut and salmon. The "catch of the day" is almost always fresh and local, so you can't go wrong. Although restaurants in Alaska are expensive, it is worth it to splurge for some unique Alaskan meat or seafood. When else will you have this opportunity?
Transportation
Traveling around Alaska can be a challenging and expensive ordeal because of the state's vast size and widespread wilderness. Many cities are only accessible by sea or air, making independent travel cumbersome and extraordinarily expensive. For this reason, many people choose to take a cruise to Alaska. Still, if cruises aren't your style and you have the money to pay, seeing Alaska independently can be very rewarding and life changing. Alaska Airlines has a virtual monopoly over flights within the state, so prices stay high. There are frequent flights between Anchorage and Fairbanks as well as flights to regional hubs like Bethel, Nome, Kotzebue, Dillingham, and Kodia, among other communities. Smaller communities are served by regional jet and turboprop commuter airlines and smaller towns and villages are accessed with scheduled or chartered Bush flying services.
The famous Alaska Railroad travels from Seward through Anchorage, Denali and Fairbanks to the North Pole. There are also off shoots to Whittier and Palmer. There are private companies that offer luxury cars which are also pulled by the Alaska Railroad. In the past these cars were used by cruise lines but now it is possible for independent travelers to make reservations as well.
The road network in Alaska covers a very small part of the state. The central population centers are connected to Canada by the Alaska Highway, which is the main route out of the state. There are a few bus and shuttle services that travel between major cities in the state but there are no Greyhound, Chinatown or Megabus services within the state.
Cruises are one of the easiest and most efficient ways to see the state. Cruiselines that travel to Alaska include Holland America, Princess Cruises, Adventure Life, Norwegian, Carnival, AdventureSmith Explorations and Regent Seven Seas.
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We've been gathering travel costs from tens of thousands of actual travelers since 2010, and we use the data to calculate average daily travel costs for destinations around the world. We also systematically analyze the prices of hotels, hostels, and tours from travel providers such as Kayak, HostelWorld, TourRadar, Viator, and others. This combination of expenses from actual travelers, combined with pricing data from major travel companies, gives us a uniqe insight into the overall cost of travel for thousands of cities in countries around the world. You can see more here: How it Works.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.