Coming out of a year of quarantining and budgeting, many Americans are beginning to book vacations. If you are like many people, you have PTO to spare these days and are itching to put them to good use. Unfortunately, as more people begin to book trips, the cost of travel is increasing as well. Experts expect travel prices to surge this summer, according to a recent article by The Washington Post. Travel booking app Hopper has experienced a 58% increase in searches for domestic summer travel.

There are many ways to travel on a budget, but you may still need help paying for your dream trip. Travel costs can include transportation, lodging, food, entertainment, activities and more. Many travelers don’t have the funds to pay for a trip up front. Instead, they rely on credit or personal loans to cover travel costs, but is borrowing money for travel a good idea?

While saving up for a trip and paying in cash is a responsible way to travel, there are benefits to borrowing. For one, it could take several months to years to save the amount you need depending on the cost of the trip. If you need to travel for a special event or to see family, waiting to save up the cash may not be possible.

If you are going to borrow for a trip, here are some things to keep in mind.

How to borrow money for travel smartly.

Start by researching your trip to create a budget. If you don’t have a set destination in mind, it pays to research the cheapest places to travel during the timeframe you hope to get away. For example, many beach destinations are cheaper in the fall or beginning of the year. If you don’t have strict travel dates, search different timeframes to find deals. Subscribing to airline newsletters can help you take advantage of cheap fares. There are also many travel sites that will help you compare prices.

Use your points. If you frequent one hotel brand or airline, chances are you have accumulated rewards points. Take advantage of your points to save on the overall cost of the trip.

Create a reasonable budget you can stick to. One way to do this is to look back at other trips you have taken. Look at what you typically spend on things like transportation and food. You can look for ways to cut back on those expenses, but you aren’t likely to spend too much less than that. Creating an unrealistic budget is one way to set yourself up for failure. You may end up short on cash and more likely to charge things on a high-interest credit card or take out a short-term loan.

Compare credit cards and personal loans to find the best payment option for your trip. There are benefits to both payment types. Credit cards allow you to pay as you go and only pay interest on what you spend. However, interest rates on credit cards are often higher than personal loans, and you may end up paying more overall depending on when you can pay off your credit card. Personal loans come with fixed rates, a payment schedule and fixed monthly payments. You can apply for a personal loan in just a few minutes at Uprova.com and get funds transferred to your account in as soon as one business day. Uprova also works with borrowers with all types of credit backgrounds, so you may have less of an issue getting approved for the cash you need.

Should you get a travel loan?

If you want or need to travel soon, a personal loan is a convenient way to cover travel costs. Of course, the best way to pay for a trip is with savings, because you won’t be charged interest. However, if you don’t have cash on hand, you can request a personal loan from $300 to $5,000 at Uprova.com. To reduce the overall cost of your trip, compare prices on everything from when you will travel to where you will stay. Create a reasonable budget you can stick to, and create a plan for repaying your loan on or before your due date.

If you need funds for travel, visit Uprova.com and make your loan request today.