A single spray tan rarely feels expensive, but the cost is the cadence. Because color fades in about 7–10 days, a year-round glow means roughly three sessions a month - and that is where the annual bill quietly climbs past $1,500.
The yearly math
At the 2026 US average of about $45 a session (a 239-salon survey put it at $44.91), tanning every 10 days works out to roughly 36 sessions a year. Add a 15% tip on airbrush or mobile appointments and you are near $1,890 - which lines up with the salon rule of thumb of $90–$100 a month at biweekly visits.
What changes the number
Format and frequency move it the most. Booths ($30–$55) are cheaper than airbrush ($60–$95) or mobile ($60–$110), and tanning only in summer (about four months) roughly cuts the annual cost by two-thirds. Stretch the gap between sessions to two weeks and you shave several hundred dollars more.
The cheaper alternative
At-home self-tanner covers 6–8 applications per $30 bottle, so a full year of weekly tanning typically lands at $200–$400 including a mitt. That is over $1,000 saved versus the salon, with the only trade-off being slightly more frequent reapplication.