How Much Does It Cost To Go To Alaska?

(Last updated in March 2023)

How much does it cost to go to Alaska? You’ve come to the right place to find out.

Budgeting is extremely important when planning a trip to the 49th state, because you can easily drop a few grand in a hurry if you’re not careful. Even a budget itinerary can cost a couple of thousand dollars.

In this post, I break down exactly how much it costs to visit Alaska based on the amount of money my friend and I spent during our week there.

I also present a detailed list for how much you can expect to pay for each aspect of an Alaska vacation, including food, lodging, rental car, tours, Denali National Park expenses, and miscellaneous spending.

My trip was a few years ago, but most prices haven’t changed much since then. Lodging and food costs are slightly up. Flight prices are roughly the same. Flight costs went down for several years, and have gone back up this year, so they’re back to where they were when I wrote this guide.

So overall, the estimates are accurate for planning an Alaska trip in 2023. Read on for our Alaska cost guide!

This article assumes the following: A two-person, seven-day summer vacation with round-trip airfare from the continental U.S. into Anchorage. Adjust your costs accordingly if you’re coming with a larger group, for a different length of time, during a different season or into a different city like Juneau or Fairbanks.

For each category, I’m presenting the expected costs based on what type of traveler you are: Cheapskate (it’s possible to do Alaska on a budget), Average Joe (welcome, everyone), or Moneybags (congrats, you lucky son of a gun.)

If you’re more of a visual person, at the end of this post, you’ll find an easy to read chart showing specific costs for each type of traveler.

How much does it cost to go to Alaska? Here comes the budgetary breakdown.

AIRFARE

Flying to Alaska can cost an arm and a leg. When I first began researching flights from Chicago about six months before our trip, they were about $1,000 ($500 each way) per person.

I kept checking airfares, and about 3-4 months before the vacation, I found a redeye flight on July 4 one-way from Anchorage to Chicago for only $260 each and booked it immediately.

PRO TIP: Use Skyscanner for the best flight deals. You can set price alerts, and they’ll email you when prices drop for the flights you’re looking at.

After waiting a few more weeks, I located a non-stop flight to Anchorage for about $360 each. That meant we ended up paying $620 each for the round-trip. Not too bad!

Don’t forget to factor in baggage costs. Most airlines going to Anchorage require a $20 or $25 checked bag fee.

Airline fare costs have been up and down since I first published this article. For a while, you could find roundtrip flights to Anchorage from many large cities in the U.S. for less than $500 total. Especially in May and June!

Things get a bit more expensive in July and August. Flight costs are on the rise again, but if you plan ahead and track flight costs every week, you can still get a good price.

Moneybags ($2600): You can pay a ton of you randomly book your flight without studying and holding out for a good deal.

Average Joe ($2000): Purchase when you find a decent fare for the dates you want to visit. A $1000 round-trip is about average.

Cheapskate ($1100): Check airfares daily, pounce when they are most affordable. Choose your dates of travel based on which days are the cheapest to fly. You may be able to find something for around $600 round-trip, as we did, if you get lucky. Try to get an airline with no checked bag fee.

We spent: $1285 ($620 each for airfare plus $45 for checked bags).

LODGING

If you’re truly trying to do Alaska on a budget, lodging is one area in which to save a bundle. Campgrounds in the $25 range exist all over the state, so if you’re willing to sleep in a tent, you can sleep for cheap.

Anchorage, Fairbanks, and Talkeetna also have hostels, while luxury lodges can be found across the state as well.

These days, I always use booking.com to find cheap lodging, because in my view they do the best job of compiling current prices from hotels, hostels, and B&Bs. Click to search booking.com for your Alaska travel dates.

Moneybags ($1000): Luxury lodges all the way! You can easily drop more than $100 per day in housing in the summer.

Average Joe ($400): Staying in basic motels and a couple campgrounds can keep things affordable.

Cheapskate ($100): Couchsurf for free in the big cities. Sleep in your tent in cheap campgrounds everywhere else. Many hostels even rent tent space in the yard outside for less than the cost of a dorm bed.

We spent: $213.

RENTAL CAR

By far our biggest hit was the price of a rental car. While a rental car is expensive, it’s a must if you want to do the ultimate Alaska road trip.

Rental car prices in Alaska soar after mid-June, when peak tourist season hits. In the last week of June, the average price for a week-long rental was in the $700 range. Just two weeks earlier, the price was in the $300 range. That’s a huge difference.

If you’re trying to calculate how much it costs to go to Alaska, by far the most important factor is the time frame you choose. As illustrated, coming just a couple weeks earlier can literally save you hundreds of dollars on car rental costs.

We made a car reservation for $550 a couple months in advance, but we kept checking the latest rates.

Since it was a refundable reservation, we were able to cancel and re-book when at the last minute the price dropped to $391 for the full week. That was a significant savings (though we still paid around $600 after the insurance.)

Need a rental car? I recommend DiscoverCars.com, which allows you to compare prices and availability for all the top rental companies to find the best possible deal. And they offer free cancellation!

Moneybags ($1500): Wait until the last minute and pay whatever the going rate is for a luxury vehicle. Rent at the airport and pay the airport surcharges. Or, rent a car one-way from Anchorage to Seward or Fairbanks and take the train back for the scenery. Or, go big and rent an RV!

Average Joe ($800): Lock in a good deal when you see one on Hotwire or some other site, preferably for an off-airport site.

Cheapskate ($250): Visit Alaska in May or early June for good deals before prices soar. Study rental car prices and pounce when prices are cheapest.

We spent: $591.

Aside: Should I take the train?

If you’re thinking that you might just take the Alaska Railroad to save money instead of renting a car, think again. Prices for the railroad are outrageous during the summer months – $85 each way per person between Anchorage and Denali, which totals $340 for a round-trip for two.

With multiple people, it’s actually cheaper to split the cost of a rental car and gas. The only way taking the train makes financial sense is if you are traveling solo.

GAS

Gasoline prices in Alaska are high, although I honestly didn’t notice much of a difference coming from Chicago, which has some of the highest prices in the country.

There’s no real way to keep your gas costs down except by driving less, so accept that going in and budget accordingly. As of this writing, gas prices are rising again, so your costs may increase a bit from my estimates here.

Moneybags ($250): Drive all over the place and buy as much gas as you need.

Average Joe ($150): Try to fill up in cities where prices are lower.

Cheapskate ($80): Drive as little as possible – only between Anchorage, Denali and Seward. Skip the rest of the state to keep gas costs down.

We spent: $180. We drove all over the state, probably more than most people do, which is why we paid a bit more than the average traveler would.

DENALI NATIONAL PARK

Let’s assume you’re going to see the wildlife and awesome scenery at Denali National Park, because it doesn’t make sense to visit Alaska and not see this wonderful wilderness.

As of 2023, the Denali entrance fee is $15 each for a seven-day pass. You’ll also need to pay for a shuttle bus if you plan on going more than 14 miles into the park, since that’s as far as cars are allowed. Shuttles start at $26 for the Toklat River bus.

You should definitely take a bus of some sort, because most of the wildlife and mountains are beyond Mile 14. You can also camp inside Denali at various campgrounds, which is an affordable way to see the park. You must make your reservations online.

You can even go ziplining in Denali if you’re so inclined!

Moneybags ($470): Take a private bus ride like the Kantishna Experience Tour and spend a night or two at one of the lodges in the park.

Average Joe ($165): Take the Wonder Lake shuttle bus and spend two nights in a park campground.

Cheapskate ($20): Pay the entrance fee only and backcountry camp near the park entrance or Savage River at no additional cost. You’ll see very little of the park this way, though.

We spent: $115 for a camper bus ride, one night in a campground and one night of backcountry camping.

FOOD

We lived almost exclusively on fast food during our trip, because meals are one of the hidden costs of a trip like this. If you’re going to stay on budget, you have to pay as little as possible for sustenance. Remember, it’s possible to eat both healthy and cheap while traveling.

Fast food can be found in all the major cities – Anchorage, Fairbanks, Palmer, and Wasilla. Even some of the smaller towns, like Talkeetna and Seward, have Subway sandwich shops. The $5 footlong is $9 here, though, so plan accordingly.

We did splurge for a couple of nicer meals at local restaurants. You have to eat at least one seafood dinner when you’re in Alaska, right?

Moneybags ($500): The cost of eating at expensive restaurants all the time can add up.

Average Joe ($300): Eat a few nice meals, otherwise buy meals at fast food or cheap local establishments.

Cheapskate ($175): Stock up on pop-tarts and fruit at Walmart for breakfast. Eat fast food lunches and dinners.

We spent: $192.

ATTRACTIONS

When it comes to attractions, you can be a real cheapskate if you want. But why would you go to Alaska and skip the chance to take a bush plane flight, or a whale-watching cruise, or a glacier hike, or some cool museums?

Moneybags ($1600): Take the Grand Denali flightseeing tour around the summit of Mt. McKinley ($375 each), the most luxurious whale-watching cruise you can find, and go to every attraction that interests you, from museums to reindeer farms.

Average Joe ($700): Choose a cheaper flightseeing option ($150-200 each). Choose a mid-level cruising option out of Seward and an ice trek tour on a glacier (look for online sales and discounts). Check out a museum or two in Anchorage.

Cheapskate ($40): Skip flightseeing entirely. Skip the guided tour at Matanuska Glacier and instead walk around the site on your own, paying only the entry fee. Go to free attractions in Anchorage. Skip the whale-watching cruise and hang out at Beluga Point with binoculars to look for whales from shore.

We spent: $880.

NOTE: Another way to save on sightseeing tours, day trips, and excursions is to use our partner, Get Your Guide. Check out some of their most popular Alaska tours below. And see our guide to the top Anchorage tours and activities.

SUPPLIES

To be comfortable and safe in Alaska, you’ll want hiking boots, a winter jacket (even in summer), heavy-duty mosquito repellent, and probably some camping gear. Don’t forget about bear spray, which is not allowed on planes and will run you at least $25.

Moneybags ($400): Buy brand-new shoes, luggage, backpacks, clothing, or cameras.

Average Joe ($200): Bring camping gear from home. Buy new shoes but otherwise bring clothes you already own.

Cheapskate ($75): Bring all your used gear from home. Buy only the essentials in Alaska.

We spent: $228.

MISC. SPENDING

Of course you can’t visit Alaska without bringing home a few souvenirs. You’ll need some cash in case you decide to check out a bar, buy a new shirt, or just need to stop for aspirin or other miscellaneous expenses.

And you should seriously consider purchasing The Milepost, a huge, massively helpful guide referred to as “the bible of Alaska travel.” It breaks down every main road mile-by-mile, letting you know exactly where to find the nearest restroom, scenic viewpoint, and popular wildlife-watching spot.

I’m not big on guidebooks, but I promise, this one is worth it. A new version is published each April. – see link below for the 2023 guide.

Moneybags ($400): Buy Sarah Palin vanity license plates for ironic reasons, moose dung swizzle sticks, “I Love Talkeetna” hats, Denali bumper stickers, and local native artwork.

Average Joe ($200): Buy souvenir tshirts, coffee mugs and other trinkets. Go to a few bars in Anchorage.

Cheapskate ($100): Buy only basic necessities and maybe a magnet or postcard.

We spent: $145.

How much does it cost to visit Alaska? The chart

Here’s the visual breakdown. Estimates are for a one-week trip for two with airfare from the continental U.S. to Alaska. Even the cheapskates will need to spend nearly $1,000 each.

We ended up paying $3,829, which breaks down to $1,914.50 each. It wasn’t the cheapest vacation I’ve ever taken, but it might have been the most memorable.

Keep in mind these totals are for two people for a seven-day vacation in Alaska. This breakdown should give you a ballpark idea of what you might be paying when you visit there.

Most categories should be accurate, though you’ll have to adjust your own projections based on where you’re flying from.

What About Taking a Cruise to Alaska?

There’s one other (possibly) cheap way to visit Alaska, and that’s by taking a cruise. Seattle, especially, has several cruises that run on a weekly basis to Alaska.

Most of these cruises go through the Inside Passage to Ketchikan, Skagway, and Juneau, as well as Glacier Bay National Park.

If you choose a cruise, obviously you’ll be seeing a completely different part of the state. There’s no way to drive from Juneau to Anchorage or Denali.

How much do Alaska cruises typically cost? There’s a huge range of prices, based on whether you want a first-class cabin or the tiniest interior cabin.

In general, expect to pay at least $1000 for a week-long roundtrip cruise from Seattle to Alaska and back.

Often, you’ll see promotions for $499 cruises from Seattle. But when you dig into the fine print, you find out that prices are based on double occupancy (solo travelers can forget about getting a good deal) and that they don’t include port taxes or cruise staff gratuities, which are huge.

Taxes run more than $200 per person, and gratuities are usually at least $100.

These prices also do not include any excursions. When you stop at the various ports, you’ll want to leave the ship and do at least a little exploring, so your wallet will take another hit there.

Ultimately, when it comes to taking a cruise to Alaska, you can do it for as little as $700 including taxes, if you are a couple traveling from Seattle and you go on zero excursions and book the cheapest interior room. That’s a lot of “ifs.”

More realistically, expect to pay about $1000 per person, even for the cheapest cruise booked during a sale. Cruising is a very different experience than flying to Anchorage and renting a car, so think about which option most appeals to you and your budget.

Would you consider traveling to Alaska? If you’ve already been, do you think these estimates for Alaska vacation costs are accurate?