A $2K-night hotel stay in Washington? Travel for Inauguration Day is surging.
- Travel costs to Washington, D.C. have surged due to the inauguration, with flights and hotels seeing significant price increases.
- Hotel rates in Washington, D.C. for inauguration night average around $730, with some options as low as $392 still available.
- Last-minute flights to Washington, D.C. from cities like Fort Lauderdale, Phoenix, and Dallas are experiencing price surges of over 100%.
In just a few days, Inauguration Day will occur in the nation's capital, drawing large crowds to witness President-elect Donald Trump officially be sworn in for his second term.
Inauguration Day is scheduled for Monday, Jan. 20, also historically coinciding with a long weekend for Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The event will feature live performances from top country artists such as Carrie Underwood and Lee Greenwood. The nation's politicians, including President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden, will witness Trump take the oath of office as the 47th President at around noon EST.
Although tickets for the now-indoors inauguration are free (and limited), many travelers are packing their bags to be present at the once-every-four-year event. Searches for flights to Washington, D.C., for this weekend have surged by nearly half, while those for flights to Baltimore have increased by 25% compared to last weekend, according to data from travel platform Hopper.
Travelers will have to pay up if they want to see the American tradition firsthand, with costs for airfare from major U.S. cities to Washington, D.C., along with hotel demand spiking for the long weekend.
Here's how much it costs to travel to Washington, D.C., for Inauguration Day 2025.
How much are flights for Inauguration Day?
According to Hopper, flights to Washington, D.C., and Baltimore from major U.S. cities are currently, on average, 14% and 13% more expensive for this weekend than last.
Those booking last-minute trips will encounter especially high prices, according to Expedia. Travel from Jan. 17 through 21, round trip airfare from Fort Lauderdale to the capital costs $293 - 130% more than average, according to Expedia data from Jan. 15. Prices for flights during the same timeframe are $748 from Phoenix and $473 from Dallas, which is 115% more than average.
How much are hotels for Inauguration Day?
The influx of Inauguration Day attendees is also causing an increase in hotel rates for the weekend, according to Hopper. The average price for a hotel on inauguration night in Washington, D.C., is approximately $730, although some rates as low as $392 are still available.
A recent search on the Hotels.com app revealed room costs ranging between $700 and $1,600 per night from Jan. 19 to 21, while the following weekend is around $200 to $500 per night – a jump of up to 700%.
The closer travelers want to be to the White House or in a luxury hotel will come at a premium. The famous Watergate Hotel – a mere mile away from the Executive Mansion – comes in at $2,036 per night.