Destination Fees Continue to Rise in 2026

What Car Shoppers Need to Know

• Destination fees continue to help make vehicles unaffordable.
• In some instances, destination fees can make up over 5% of a vehicle’s MSRP.

Destination fees: You can’t avoid them. They’re non-negotiable, and they’re baked into a vehicle’s price. So far in 2026, we’re seeing a steep increase in average destination prices. But what’s driving this increase, and what can you do to avoid it?

The short answer is that you can’t do much of anything. Destination fees are just a normal part of business in the auto industry, and identifying what’s driving the increase is complicated.

Related: What to Know About the Rising Cost of Destination Charges

Destination Fees Continue to Rise

• Takeaway: Since 2024, destination fees have sharply risen. Domestic brands now charge almost $2,200 on average for this fee alone.

Destination fees are what automakers charge consumers for the price of transporting new vehicles from the factory to the dealer. They’re non-negotiable, can’t be removed and are baked into the price of the vehicle, though some automakers routinely advertise vehicle prices without them to show a lower cost. In the last few years, the fees have continued to increase.

Since 2023, the average year-over-year increase in destination fees rose over 157%, from 2023 seeing fees increase $56 across all manufacturers to 2026 where destination prices have increased an average of $144 year over year. Things have gotten worse since 2024: From 2024 to 2025, that increase jumped 163%, going from an average increase of $45 to $119. Even now, just three months into 2026, the average fee increase has already jumped another 22%, from $119 to $144.

Automakers have blamed external forces for increasing the charges. GM said external factors “like the trade environment, content, cost, and supply and demand” are driving the increase and that the company has been adjusting destination charges as needed. Mitsubishi said it’s needed to adjust its destination fees because of tariffs since its vehicles are imported from Japan.

Not everyone is buying what automakers are saying about the growing costs, however. We spoke with Sam Fiorani at industry data analytics firm AutoForecast Solutions about the rising costs of destination charges. He said the quiet part out loud: that automakers may be profiting off these fees and pointed to the sharp increase in fees in some specific segments, such as large pickup trucks and SUVs.

Destination Charges Are Becoming a Big Part of Vehicle Pricing

• Takeaway: Some automakers have destination charges that are so high, they make up over 5% of the vehicle’s price.

To be clear, not all automakers are increasing their destination fees drastically, and destination varies by model. BMW charges between $1,350 and $1,550 for most of the vehicles in its lineup, and Mazda charges between $1,235 and $1,530. Strangely, the increase in destination charges is mainly from domestic manufacturers. At Ford and Lincoln, Ford charges nearly $2,000 or more for destination on most of its models. At GM, it’s the same: You’ll find $1,995 destination charges on everything from the Buick Enclave to the GMC Acadia, save for a few compact models like Chevrolet’s Trax and Trailblazer SUVs, Buick’s Envista and Encore GX SUVs, and Cadillac’s CT4 and CT5 sedans.

The most egregious destination charges are on large trucks and SUVs; you’ll have to part with $2,795 on vehicles like the Chevrolet Suburban and GMC Sierra 3500 HD. Some vehicles, like the massive Cadillac Escalade IQL electric SUV, command a destination charge of $2,895.

The same thing is happening at Stellantis, parent automaker of Chrysler, Dodge, Fiat, Jeep, Maserati and Ram. You’ll get hit with a $1,995 destination charge on every single Jeep, except the Grand Wagoneer, which commands $2,795. Chrysler wants $1,995 destination for the Pacifica and Voyager. Ram’s fee is even higher; its massive pickups command charges of $2,595. In most cases, these charges make up a nice percentage of the vehicle’s price. Take the recently redesigned Jeep Cherokee, for example. For the Laredo trim, which is one step up from the base, the $1,995 destination charge makes up about 5% of the Cherokee’s total cost, which is $39,995. Of course, the cheaper the vehicle price, the larger the percentage. A base Ford Mustang EcoBoost Fastback’s destination charge is 5.8% of the vehicle’s price; with no options and including the $1,995 destination charge, the total cost is $34,635.

What Can a Car Shopper Do?

The final out-the-door price is always going to be important to most buyers, so be aware that even if you manage to negotiate and get a discount on the vehicle, you still have to pay that destination charge.

Read More About Destination Charges on Cars.com:

• What to Know About the Rising Cost of Destination Charges
• What Makes Up a Destination Charge?
• Destination Fees on Cars Are Way Up; Here’s Why
• Rising Costs, Shrinking Affordability: The State of the Auto Market in 2025
• Why Are Destination Fees for Pickups Picking Up?
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