How Much Does a Luxury Trip Cost in 2027? (Why Your Last Trip Is the Wrong Benchmark)
Right now, I'm planning a honeymoon for a couple who found us through their friends.
Five years ago, those friends took their honeymoon with us: a boutique hotel in Cape Town, four nights on safari, then four nights on an island in Mozambique. Our new couple heard every story and saw every photo. They fell in love with that trip, and they wanted almost exactly the same thing.
Easy, right? I had the whole thing mapped out from 2022.
Then I priced it.
The same honeymoon, five years later
In 2022, that honeymoon came to about $22,300. For 2027, it's $32,700.
Nothing got fancier. The 2022 version actually had one more night in Cape Town. It's the same trip, five years later, and over $10,000 more.
I do this every day, and even I was shocked.
So I started re-pricing other trips
My first thought was that maybe it was just Africa. Safari pricing has its own story. So I went back through my files and pulled a very different trip: a week in Paris I planned in 2022. Same week of the year, same boutique hotel, same room, and the same mix of shared and private tours.
The hotel alone went up about 75%. The private cooking class went from $500 to $1,000.
The flights happened to cost the same on this one. I wouldn't count on that. Airfare is climbing on plenty of routes right now.
Then I wondered if it was only the bigger trips. So I checked something short: four nights in Turks and Caicos in January, at Wymara, in the same room type. In 2022, that was $5,100. For January 2027, it's $7,225.
A honeymoon, a week in Paris, a long weekend on the beach. Three completely different trips, and every one of them costs roughly 40 to 50% more than it did five years ago.
Why travel costs so much more now
From where I sit, three things are driving it.
Hotels. Room rates at the places my clients want to stay have climbed year after year, and the hotel is where most of a trip's budget goes.
Tours and private guides. In some destinations these have gone up a lot. That cooking class is a good example.
What happened after the pandemic. When travel opened back up, everyone wanted to go at once. Demand surged and prices followed. Then people got used to paying more, and prices never came back down.
What this means if you're planning for 2027
Most people carry a number in their head for what a great trip costs. It usually comes from the last big trip they took, or one a friend took. And if that trip was a few years ago, the number is probably off.
Here's where I'd tell someone to start in 2027, per week for two travelers:
Italy, France or Greece: from $12,000
Spain, Portugal or Croatia: from $10,000
An African safari: from $20,000 per week, and most first safaris start around $30,000 for the trip
These are starting points, not averages. Where you land depends on the hotels, how many nights, and how private you want your days to be.
What I do when the budget and the trip don't match
I want to respect what you're able to spend. I also want to deliver the trip you're describing. When those two don't line up, my job is to say so early.
So I'll tell you what I'm hearing you describe and what I know it costs. Then I'll ask which one you want the proposal built around: the number or the experience.
If it's the number, we decide together where to give a little:
Fewer days. A shorter trip at the level you want often beats a longer one that feels watered down.
One splurge hotel. Put the big night where it matters most, instead of five-star the whole way through.
One or two key experiences. Book the things that make the trip, and leave more time to explore on your own.
We aren't magicians. I won't let anyone think we can hit a number just because they said it.
That's the exact conversation I have with clients all the time. Your friends' trip can be the inspiration. It just isn't the price tag.
Luxury travel costs in 2027: FAQ
How much does a luxury trip to Europe cost in 2027? For two people, a week in Italy, France or Greece starts around $12,000. Spain, Portugal and Croatia start around $10,000. Your hotels and how private your experiences are decide where you land from there.
How much has luxury travel gone up since 2022? For the trips I've re-priced, roughly 40 to 50%. A week in Paris went from $10,400 to $15,730 with the same hotel and the same tours.
How much does a safari honeymoon cost in 2027? A first safari typically starts around $25,000 for two. A honeymoon that pairs Cape Town, a safari and a beach finish in Mozambique came in at $32,700 for 2027.
Is $10,000 enough for a luxury vacation in 2027? For a week in Spain or Portugal, it's a starting point. For Italy, France, Greece or a safari, it falls short of the trip most people picture.
Will travel prices go back down? I wouldn't plan on it. Prices climbed after the pandemic and never really dropped, because people kept booking.
Want trip ideas with real numbers?
Once a month, I send trip ideas, what things actually cost, and what I'm booking for clients right now. Join the list for monthly trip ideas → Milk + Honey’s Monthly Newsletter
Always choose adventure,
Brianna