Our top 4 picks for vacation loans
To make our choices for the best vacation loans, we collected 806 data points for popular lenders, including customer reviews and overall ratings from ConsumerAffairs reviewers. We also considered 26 individual data points for 31 lenders. We then used these data points to evaluate factors that impact borrowers most, like annual percentage rates (APRs), loan amounts, repayment terms and loan fees, to help us make our final selections.
Our picks may be Authorized Partners who compensate us. This doesn’t affect our recommendations or evaluations, but it may affect the order in which the companies appear.
Our top picks for the best vacation loans come from:
- Loan amounts
- $5,000 to $100,000
- Term lengths
- 2 to 20 years
- Minimum credit score
- 670 to 700
Partner Disclosures
Best Egg disclosures
Best Egg products are not available if you live in Iowa, Vermont, West Virginia, the District of Columbia, or U.S. Territories. Eligibility is not guaranteed. The term, amount and APR of any loan we offer to you will depend on your credit score, income, debt payment obligations, loan amount, credit history and other factors. If offered, your loan agreement will contain specific terms and conditions. Your application is complete when you submit it to Best Egg. Your acceptance of an offer may impact your credit score. The timing of available funds upon loan approval may vary depending upon your bank’s policies. After successful verification your money can be deposited in your bank account within 1-3 business days. Loan amounts range from $2,000–$50,000. Residents of Massachusetts have a minimum loan amount of $6,500; Ohio, $5,001; and Georgia, $3,001. Only two active Best Egg loans are available at one time and your total existing Best Egg loan balances cannot exceed $100,000. Annual Percentage Rates (APRs) range from 6.99%–35.99%. The APR is the cost of credit as a yearly rate and reflects both your interest rate and an origination fee of 0.99%–9.99% of your loan amount, which will be deducted from any loan proceeds you receive. The origination fee on a loan term 4 years or longer will be at least 4.99%. Your loan term will impact your APR, which may be higher than our lowest advertised rate. Eligibility for the best available rate subject to creditworthiness. For example: a 5-year $10,000 loan with a 9.99% APR has 60 scheduled monthly payments of $201.81; a 3-year $5,000 loan with 6.99% APR has 36 scheduled monthly payments of $152.83. Best Egg loans can be prepaid at any time without penalty. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, Best Egg loans have a minimum term of 36 months and a maximum term of 60 months. To help the government fight the funding of terrorism and money laundering activities, Federal law requires all financial institutions to obtain, verify, and record information that identifies each person who opens an account. What this means for you: When you open an account, we will ask for your name, address, date of birth, and other information that will allow us to identify you. We may also ask to see your driver’s license or other identifying documents.. Best Egg loans are personal loans made by Cross River Bank, a New Jersey Chartered Bank, operating from its Wilmington, Delaware branch location, Member FDIC, Equal Housing Lender, or Column N.A., Member FDIC, Equal Housing Lender. © 2026 Marlette Marketing, LLC. All rights reserved.
LightStream disclosures
Your loan terms, including APR, may differ based on loan purpose, amount, term length, and your credit profile. Excellent credit is required to qualify for lowest rates. Rate is quoted with AutoPay discount. AutoPay discount is only available prior to loan funding. Rates without AutoPay are 0.50% points higher. Subject to credit approval. Conditions and limitations apply. Advertised rates and terms are subject to change without notice. Payment example: Monthly payments for a $10,000 loan at 8.99% APR with a term of 5 years would result in 60 monthly payments of $207.54. Truist Bank is an Equal Housing Lender. © 2023 Truist Financial Corporation. Truist, LightStream, and the LightStream logo are service marks of Truist Financial Corporation. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Lending services provided by Truist Bank.
Upgrade disclosures
Your loan terms are not guaranteed and are subject to our verification and review process. You may be asked to provide additional documents to enable us to verify your income and your identity. To be offered the lowest rates, you may be required to have some of your funds sent directly to pay off existing debt(s). This rate shown includes an Autopay APR reduction of 0.5%. Autopay enrollment is optional and by enrolling, your payments will be automatically deducted from your bank account. The APR includes the yearly interest rate and a loan origination fee, which is deducted from the loan proceeds. Late payments and other fees may increase the cost of your fixed rate loan. Please refer to Upgrade's Terms of Use and Borrower Agreement for terms, conditions and requirements. Upgrade is a financial technology company, not a bank. Personal loans are issued by Upgrade's bank partners: https://www.upgrade.com/bank-partners/. † After acceptance, your funds will be sent within one (1) business day of clearing necessary verifications. Funds availability is dependent upon your bank’s transaction processing time and may take up to 2 weeks if sent directly to third party creditors.
- Loan amounts
- $2,500 to $40,000
- Term lengths
- 3 to 7 years
- Minimum credit score
- 660
- Loan amounts
- $2,000 to $50,000
- Term lengths
- 3 to 5 years
- Minimum credit score
- 640
Partner Disclosures
Best Egg disclosures
Best Egg products are not available if you live in Iowa, Vermont, West Virginia, the District of Columbia, or U.S. Territories. Eligibility is not guaranteed. The term, amount and APR of any loan we offer to you will depend on your credit score, income, debt payment obligations, loan amount, credit history and other factors. If offered, your loan agreement will contain specific terms and conditions. Your application is complete when you submit it to Best Egg. Your acceptance of an offer may impact your credit score. The timing of available funds upon loan approval may vary depending upon your bank’s policies. After successful verification your money can be deposited in your bank account within 1-3 business days. Loan amounts range from $2,000–$50,000. Residents of Massachusetts have a minimum loan amount of $6,500; Ohio, $5,001; and Georgia, $3,001. Only two active Best Egg loans are available at one time and your total existing Best Egg loan balances cannot exceed $100,000. Annual Percentage Rates (APRs) range from 6.99%–35.99%. The APR is the cost of credit as a yearly rate and reflects both your interest rate and an origination fee of 0.99%–9.99% of your loan amount, which will be deducted from any loan proceeds you receive. The origination fee on a loan term 4 years or longer will be at least 4.99%. Your loan term will impact your APR, which may be higher than our lowest advertised rate. Eligibility for the best available rate subject to creditworthiness. For example: a 5-year $10,000 loan with a 9.99% APR has 60 scheduled monthly payments of $201.81; a 3-year $5,000 loan with 6.99% APR has 36 scheduled monthly payments of $152.83. Best Egg loans can be prepaid at any time without penalty. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, Best Egg loans have a minimum term of 36 months and a maximum term of 60 months. To help the government fight the funding of terrorism and money laundering activities, Federal law requires all financial institutions to obtain, verify, and record information that identifies each person who opens an account. What this means for you: When you open an account, we will ask for your name, address, date of birth, and other information that will allow us to identify you. We may also ask to see your driver’s license or other identifying documents.. Best Egg loans are personal loans made by Cross River Bank, a New Jersey Chartered Bank, operating from its Wilmington, Delaware branch location, Member FDIC, Equal Housing Lender, or Column N.A., Member FDIC, Equal Housing Lender. © 2026 Marlette Marketing, LLC. All rights reserved.
LightStream disclosures
Your loan terms, including APR, may differ based on loan purpose, amount, term length, and your credit profile. Excellent credit is required to qualify for lowest rates. Rate is quoted with AutoPay discount. AutoPay discount is only available prior to loan funding. Rates without AutoPay are 0.50% points higher. Subject to credit approval. Conditions and limitations apply. Advertised rates and terms are subject to change without notice. Payment example: Monthly payments for a $10,000 loan at 8.99% APR with a term of 5 years would result in 60 monthly payments of $207.54. Truist Bank is an Equal Housing Lender. © 2023 Truist Financial Corporation. Truist, LightStream, and the LightStream logo are service marks of Truist Financial Corporation. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Lending services provided by Truist Bank.
Upgrade disclosures
Your loan terms are not guaranteed and are subject to our verification and review process. You may be asked to provide additional documents to enable us to verify your income and your identity. To be offered the lowest rates, you may be required to have some of your funds sent directly to pay off existing debt(s). This rate shown includes an Autopay APR reduction of 0.5%. Autopay enrollment is optional and by enrolling, your payments will be automatically deducted from your bank account. The APR includes the yearly interest rate and a loan origination fee, which is deducted from the loan proceeds. Late payments and other fees may increase the cost of your fixed rate loan. Please refer to Upgrade's Terms of Use and Borrower Agreement for terms, conditions and requirements. Upgrade is a financial technology company, not a bank. Personal loans are issued by Upgrade's bank partners: https://www.upgrade.com/bank-partners/. † After acceptance, your funds will be sent within one (1) business day of clearing necessary verifications. Funds availability is dependent upon your bank’s transaction processing time and may take up to 2 weeks if sent directly to third party creditors.
- Loan amounts
- $1,000 to $50,000
- Term lengths
- 2 to 7 years
- Minimum credit score
- 620
Partner Disclosures
Best Egg disclosures
Best Egg products are not available if you live in Iowa, Vermont, West Virginia, the District of Columbia, or U.S. Territories. Eligibility is not guaranteed. The term, amount and APR of any loan we offer to you will depend on your credit score, income, debt payment obligations, loan amount, credit history and other factors. If offered, your loan agreement will contain specific terms and conditions. Your application is complete when you submit it to Best Egg. Your acceptance of an offer may impact your credit score. The timing of available funds upon loan approval may vary depending upon your bank’s policies. After successful verification your money can be deposited in your bank account within 1-3 business days. Loan amounts range from $2,000–$50,000. Residents of Massachusetts have a minimum loan amount of $6,500; Ohio, $5,001; and Georgia, $3,001. Only two active Best Egg loans are available at one time and your total existing Best Egg loan balances cannot exceed $100,000. Annual Percentage Rates (APRs) range from 6.99%–35.99%. The APR is the cost of credit as a yearly rate and reflects both your interest rate and an origination fee of 0.99%–9.99% of your loan amount, which will be deducted from any loan proceeds you receive. The origination fee on a loan term 4 years or longer will be at least 4.99%. Your loan term will impact your APR, which may be higher than our lowest advertised rate. Eligibility for the best available rate subject to creditworthiness. For example: a 5-year $10,000 loan with a 9.99% APR has 60 scheduled monthly payments of $201.81; a 3-year $5,000 loan with 6.99% APR has 36 scheduled monthly payments of $152.83. Best Egg loans can be prepaid at any time without penalty. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, Best Egg loans have a minimum term of 36 months and a maximum term of 60 months. To help the government fight the funding of terrorism and money laundering activities, Federal law requires all financial institutions to obtain, verify, and record information that identifies each person who opens an account. What this means for you: When you open an account, we will ask for your name, address, date of birth, and other information that will allow us to identify you. We may also ask to see your driver’s license or other identifying documents.. Best Egg loans are personal loans made by Cross River Bank, a New Jersey Chartered Bank, operating from its Wilmington, Delaware branch location, Member FDIC, Equal Housing Lender, or Column N.A., Member FDIC, Equal Housing Lender. © 2026 Marlette Marketing, LLC. All rights reserved.
LightStream disclosures
Your loan terms, including APR, may differ based on loan purpose, amount, term length, and your credit profile. Excellent credit is required to qualify for lowest rates. Rate is quoted with AutoPay discount. AutoPay discount is only available prior to loan funding. Rates without AutoPay are 0.50% points higher. Subject to credit approval. Conditions and limitations apply. Advertised rates and terms are subject to change without notice. Payment example: Monthly payments for a $10,000 loan at 8.99% APR with a term of 5 years would result in 60 monthly payments of $207.54. Truist Bank is an Equal Housing Lender. © 2023 Truist Financial Corporation. Truist, LightStream, and the LightStream logo are service marks of Truist Financial Corporation. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Lending services provided by Truist Bank.
Upgrade disclosures
Your loan terms are not guaranteed and are subject to our verification and review process. You may be asked to provide additional documents to enable us to verify your income and your identity. To be offered the lowest rates, you may be required to have some of your funds sent directly to pay off existing debt(s). This rate shown includes an Autopay APR reduction of 0.5%. Autopay enrollment is optional and by enrolling, your payments will be automatically deducted from your bank account. The APR includes the yearly interest rate and a loan origination fee, which is deducted from the loan proceeds. Late payments and other fees may increase the cost of your fixed rate loan. Please refer to Upgrade's Terms of Use and Borrower Agreement for terms, conditions and requirements. Upgrade is a financial technology company, not a bank. Personal loans are issued by Upgrade's bank partners: https://www.upgrade.com/bank-partners/. † After acceptance, your funds will be sent within one (1) business day of clearing necessary verifications. Funds availability is dependent upon your bank’s transaction processing time and may take up to 2 weeks if sent directly to third party creditors.
How to get a vacation loan
You can get a vacation loan by taking the following steps:
1. Compare lenders and offers
If you’re interested in a vacation loan, you should research lenders and compare offers. Check your rate with several lenders to see the loan options that might be available to you. Consider any fees that apply, as well as the interest rate and monthly payment you can qualify for.
2. Apply for a loan
Once you're ready to apply for a personal loan, you can do so by providing information such as your full name, address, date of birth and employment information. You'll also need to provide your Social Security number, and you may be asked to upload documentation like a government-issued ID and proof of income through a secure portal.
3. Wait for approval and funding
After your vacation loan is approved, you can usually get your funding within one to three business days, though it’s possible funding may take up to a week or more, depending on the lender.
Should you get a vacation loan?
Bryan Stiger, a wealth management advisor with FSR Wealth Strategies, said that taking out a loan for travel is sometimes not a good idea, as the interest you'll pay on the loan can be high, depending on your credit score.
The bliss of a short vacation might not be worth the headache of paying off long-term debt for months to come.”
“The bliss of a short vacation might not be worth the headache of paying off long-term debt for months to come," Stiger said.
Still, there are some situations where a vacation loan could make sense. For example, it could become important to visit family you haven't seen for a while, even if you have to borrow money to finance the trip. A vacation loan could also make sense if you're planning an expensive vacation you can't pay for all at once but can pay for over time.
» MORE: Are personal loans worth it?
FAQ
Is it a good idea to finance a vacation?
Financing a vacation is typically not a good idea, especially if you have other funding options available to you. However, if you don’t have the money available and you can’t wait to take your trip, then a loan could make sense. If you take out a loan, have a plan in place to repay it and make your monthly payments on time.
Is it easy to get a vacation loan?
Getting a vacation loan is typically easier if you have a good credit score and reliable income. You can generally get prequalified with a lender to see what terms and rates you might be offered if you apply.
Can I use a vacation loan for international travel?
You can use a vacation loan for any type of vacation, including paying for international travel. A vacation loan is a type of personal loan, so as long as you don’t use the loan for a prohibited use, such as paying for education or investments, you can use it for any purpose.
What credit score do I need to get a vacation loan?
Most lenders require a good to excellent credit score for a vacation loan, but some might let you borrow money with fair credit. However, having a lower credit score typically means paying a higher interest rate.
How does taking out a vacation loan impact my credit?
Taking out a vacation loan will cause your credit score to drop temporarily since the lender will need to do a hard credit check. After that, your score may increase since opening an installment loan will improve your credit mix. Your credit score can also increase from making consistent on-time payments.
Bottom line
Before taking out a vacation loan, research and compare offers from the top personal loan companies. Only borrow from a reputable company that explicitly lays out the terms of the loan, including your interest rate, fees, APR, repayment term and monthly payment amount. Also, make sure you also have a plan to repay your loan.
Article sources
ConsumerAffairs writers primarily rely on government data, industry experts and original research from other reputable publications to inform their work. Specific sources for this article include:
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, “Do Personal Installment Loans Have Fees?” Accessed Feb. 9, 2026.
