Travel Trailers With the Best Resale Value (2026 Study)

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RVBLOGGER ORIGINAL RESEARCH

Updated September 2, 2026

Everyone says certain travel trailer brands hold their value better than others.

But is that really true?

I wanted something better than guesses and opinions, so for this RVBlogger study we compared 74 five-year-old travel trailers across 22 brands and product lines.

Then we checked several of the stronger performers at about three, eight, and ten years old to see whether the advantage lasted.

The quick answer is pretty clear.

Airstream was the winner by a wide margin.

Our 2021 Airstream sample kept an average of 76.6% of its original MSRP after about five years. nuCamp T@B came in second at 64.4%.

Scamp and Casita also did well, and the used market suggests some molded-fiberglass trailers may be worth more than traditional value guides give them credit for.

But there is an important catch.

The percentage in this study does not tell you exactly how much money an owner lost. Many RV buyers paid less than the original MSRP, sometimes a lot less.

So I am going to explain what the numbers mean in plain English before we get into the rankings.

What We Found

• Airstream stood alone. Its 76.6% average was more than 12 percentage points ahead of nuCamp T@B.
• nuCamp T@B was a strong second at 64.4%.
• Distinctive trailers generally did well. Airstream, T@B, Scamp, and Casita all have recognizable designs and fewer direct substitutes.
• The exact product line matters. Coachmen Freedom Express Liberty averaged about 60.0%, while Freedom Express Ultra Lite averaged 53.3%.
• Most conventional laminated trailers were much closer together. A few percentage points can easily be changed by condition, options, location, or what the first owner actually paid.
• Book value and real-world resale are not always the same. This was especially obvious with niche fiberglass trailers.

How We Compared the Trailers

For the main study, we looked at 74 model-year 2021 travel trailers.

For each trailer, we compared two numbers from J.D. Power:

• The original suggested list price, or MSRP
• The current J.D. Power Average Retail Value

Then we asked a simple question:

What percentage of the original sticker price does the trailer still have in book value today?

We call that number the MSRP Retention Index.

The formula is:

Current J.D. Power Average Retail Value ÷ Original Suggested List Price = MSRP Retention Index

You do not need to memorize that.

Think of it this way:

If a trailer originally had a $40,000 sticker price and J.D. Power says it is worth $20,000 today, it kept 50% of its original sticker price.

Each model counted equally when we averaged a brand or product line.

We used base values without adding optional equipment, and the values were checked on September 2, 2026.

Why We Do Not Call This a True Depreciation Rate

This part is really important.

MSRP is not always what the buyer actually paid.

Suppose two trailers both had a $40,000 sticker price.

Trailer A was heavily discounted and sold new for $30,000. Five years later it is worth $20,000.

Trailer B sold new for $38,000. Five years later it is worth $25,000.

Compared with MSRP:

• Trailer A kept 50%.
• Trailer B kept 62.5%.

It looks like Trailer B crushed Trailer A.

But compare the used value with what the owners actually paid:

• Trailer A kept about 67% of the buyer’s real purchase price.
• Trailer B kept about 66%.

Now they are almost the same.

That is why this study is best used to compare standardized book-value strength.

It should not be used to predict exactly how many dollars you will lose.

Your negotiated purchase price matters a lot.

That is also why I recommend reading our guide on how much you can negotiate off a travel trailer before you buy.

2026 Travel Trailer Resale-Value Ranking

Here is the full 22-line ranking from our five-year sample.

The percentage is the average MSRP Retention Index for the models we sampled. It is not a promise that every floorplan from that company will perform the same way.

Source: RVBlogger analysis of model-specific J.D. Power RV values accessed September 2, 2026. The index uses original suggested list price and current average retail base value.

Airstream Was the Clear Winner

Airstream did not just finish first.

It separated itself from the rest of the group.

The three 2021 Airstream models in our sample averaged 76.6% of original MSRP after about five years.

One example is the 2021 Airstream Flying Cloud 25FB Queen.

J.D. Power currently shows an original suggested price of $89,400 and an average retail value of $70,950.

That works out to about 79.4% of original MSRP.

You can see the current J.D. Power value here.

Why does Airstream do so well?

I think several things help:

• The aluminum design is instantly recognizable.
• The basic look changes slowly over time.
• Older Airstreams still have a strong following.
• There are fewer direct substitutes for someone who specifically wants an Airstream.
• The brand has a large, active owner community.

Of course, the name on the trailer does not make damage disappear.

A leaking, neglected, or badly damaged Airstream can still lose a lot of value.

See why Airstreams cost more but also maintain their value better than any other travel trailer in our video below.

The Airstream Advantage Still Showed Up Around 10 Years Old

I did not want one unusual pandemic-era model year to decide the whole study.

So we also checked selected comparable trailers at different ages.

This was not a perfect laboratory test. Models change, markets change, and the exact equipment is not always identical.

But the pattern was useful.

*The closest comparable model year was 2017 instead of 2016. Treat this as a direction check, not a perfect depreciation curve.

The ten-year-old 2016 Flying Cloud 25FB is especially interesting.

J.D. Power currently shows its original suggested price at $79,236 and average retail value at $58,800.

That is about 74% of original MSRP after roughly ten years.

You can check the 2016 Flying Cloud 25FB value here.

The other conventional trailers in our long-term check were generally closer to the low-40% range by that age.

nuCamp T@B Finished a Strong Second

nuCamp T@B averaged 64.4% across six models.

That put it clearly behind Airstream but also clearly ahead of most of the field.

T@B trailers are easy to recognize.

They are compact, have a teardrop-inspired shape, and appeal to buyers who want something small and different.

That matters because a buyer who wants a T@B does not have 50 nearly identical trailers to choose from.

Still, the six T@B models did not all perform exactly the same way.

So I would never assume the brand name alone guarantees a certain resale percentage.

You can check out our video about nüCamp trailers below.

Coachmen Showed Why the Product Line Matters

This was one of the more useful lessons in the study.

Coachmen Freedom Express Liberty averaged about 60.0%.

That looked like an amazing result.

But when we expanded the sample to six Freedom Express Ultra Lite models, that line averaged 53.3%.

Same manufacturer.

Different product line.

Almost a seven-point difference.

This is why I would not shop based only on the logo on the front cap.

Look at the exact product line and floorplan.

The same warning applies to Forest River, Jayco, Keystone, Grand Design, and other manufacturers that sell many different lines at different price points.

Fiberglass Trailers May Be Better Than the Book Says

Scamp finished fourth in our standardized ranking at 58.6%.

Casita finished sixth at 57.5%.

Those are good results by themselves.

But the current asking market makes me think broad value guides may not always capture the full strength of these small fiberglass trailers.

As of September 2, 2026, we found a 2016 Scamp 16 Deluxe advertised for $18,900 on one current listing, while the Scamp Owners International classifieds also showed the same model advertised at $21,000.

We also found 2021 Casita Spirit Deluxe examples advertised around $20,999, with another current-market example advertised at $26,000.

Those are asking prices.

They are not proof that the trailers actually sold for those amounts.

A seller can ask anything.

Options, renovations, condition, and location can also make a big difference.

But when inventory is limited and asking prices stay high, it is fair to question whether a broad book-value system fully captures a small niche market.

If fiberglass construction interests you, see our guides to the best fiberglass travel trailer brands and best fiberglass travel trailers.

What About Oliver and Escape?

I think Oliver and Escape belong in the resale-value conversation.

Both have several things that can help used values:

• Molded-fiberglass construction
• Limited production compared with large RV manufacturers
• Strong owner communities
• Relatively few direct substitutes

We also rechecked the live market before publishing this study.

A 2016 Escape 19 was advertised at $36,500 in August 2026, and a 2023 Oliver Legacy Elite II was recently advertised at $65,000.

Again, those are asking prices, not verified sale prices.

I am not ranking Oliver or Escape in the table because we did not have enough apples-to-apples standardized data to give them a fair five-year score.

I would rather leave a brand unranked than pretend the data is stronger than it is.

Which Type of Travel Trailer Holds Its Value Best?

Based on this study, I see a few broad patterns.

Iconic premium aluminum trailers: Airstream had the strongest result and the best long-term evidence.

Distinctive compact trailers: nuCamp T@B did very well, probably helped by its recognizable design and limited direct competition.

Molded-fiberglass trailers: Scamp and Casita ranked well, and the asking market may be stronger than guide values suggest. Oliver and Escape look promising but remain unranked.

Better-positioned conventional trailers: Lance, Flagstaff Micro Lite, Arctic Fox, Grand Design Imagine, Rockwood Mini Lite, and some Coachmen lines generally landed in the stronger half of the conventional group.

High-volume and entry-level lines: Several landed lower in this MSRP-based comparison. But remember that aggressive discounts on a new trailer can make the book-value percentage look worse than the owner’s real loss.

A Better Resale Percentage Can Still Mean More Dollars Lost

This sounds backwards, but it is important.

Airstream held a much larger percentage of its original price.

But Airstream also cost much more to begin with.

Look at these two examples from our study:

• 2021 Airstream Flying Cloud 25FB: $89,400 original suggested price and $70,950 average retail value. Difference: $18,450.
• 2021 Flagstaff Micro Lite 25FKS: $36,123 original suggested price and $20,800 average retail value. Difference: $15,323.

The Airstream kept a much better percentage.

But the difference between sticker price and book value was still about $3,100 larger.

And neither example knows what the original owner actually paid.

This is why I would never buy a more expensive trailer just because its resale percentage is higher.

Buy the RV that fits your budget and how you camp.

What Actually Determines Your Trailer’s Resale Value?

After reviewing hundreds of RVs, Susan and I have learned that the brand gets attention, but the condition of the individual RV can make or kill the sale.

Here are the things I would worry about most.

Water damage. Roof leaks, soft floors, delamination, and hidden rot can erase a brand advantage very quickly.

Maintenance records. Receipts for roof inspections, bearing service, tires, brakes, batteries, and appliance repairs make a used trailer easier to trust.

Floorplan demand. A useful couples layout, bunkhouse, or lightweight floorplan may have a larger buyer pool than an odd layout.

Towability. A trailer that works with popular half-ton trucks, SUVs, or smaller tow vehicles can attract more buyers—as long as the real weights work.

Tires, batteries, seals, and appliances. Buyers mentally subtract near-term repair costs from their offer.

Storage history. Covered or indoor storage can help protect seals, graphics, roofs, and interiors.

Season and location. A clean trailer listed near the start of camping season may attract more buyers than the same trailer in late fall.

Private sale versus trade-in. A trade-in is easier, but a dealer is usually thinking in wholesale terms. A private sale may bring more money but takes more work.

Modifications. Useful upgrades can help. Bad wiring, strange renovations, or removed safety equipment can scare buyers away.

How to Protect the Resale Value of the Trailer You Buy

Buy the right floorplan the first time. Trading again after a year or two is one of the fastest ways to turn depreciation into a real loss. Our guide on choosing an RV floorplan you will not regret can help.

Negotiate the purchase price. Your real loss starts with what you actually paid, not the MSRP printed on the window.

Get an independent inspection. I recommend this for new and used RVs. Read Is an RV Inspection Worth the Cost? and use our 115-Point RV Inspection Checklist.

Keep water out. Roof, window, door, vent, plumbing, and exterior-seam problems need attention early.

Keep a maintenance file. Save receipts, dates, photos, manuals, warranty work, and records of upgrades.

Avoid unnecessary permanent modifications. If you change something, do it correctly and document the work.

Prepare it before you sell. Fix small defects, remove odors, clean it thoroughly, take good photos, and compare your price with truly similar trailers.

What the 2026 RV Market Means for Resale

The current RV market is not treating every travel trailer the same.

J.D. Power’s second-quarter 2026 market report said travel-trailer values were relatively steady compared with 2025.

At the same time, Black Book reported more downward pressure in wholesale towable values, especially among older and entry-level units.

Those reports are not necessarily arguing with each other.

They look at different parts of the market and different types of value data.

To me, the buyer lesson is simple:

Condition, age, price, and product position matter more than ever.

A strong brand can help.

But it will not rescue a trailer that smells damp, needs tires, has no maintenance history, and is priced thousands of dollars above similar units.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Do Airstream travel trailers hold their value?

In our 2026 study, yes. Airstream was the clear leader. Three five-year-old Airstreams averaged 76.6% of original MSRP, and the older-model checks were also unusually strong.

2. Which travel trailer depreciates the least?

Airstream had the strongest standardized book-value retention in our sample. nuCamp T@B finished second. Scamp and Casita also performed well.

3. Do fiberglass travel trailers hold their value?

Many appear to. Scamp and Casita both finished in the top six of our guide-based study. Oliver and Escape also appear strong in the asking market, but we did not have enough standardized data to rank them fairly.

4. How much value does a travel trailer lose in five years?

In our sample, the 22 brand and product-line averages kept between 46.7% and 76.6% of original MSRP after about five years. That does not mean owners lost 23.4% to 53.3% of what they actually paid. New-trailer discounts can change the real result a lot.

5. Is the brand or the floorplan more important for resale?

Both matter. Our Coachmen results showed that different product lines from the same manufacturer can perform very differently. Condition and maintenance may matter even more when two used trailers are competing for the same buyer.

6. When is the best time to sell a travel trailer?

In many areas, buyer interest increases before and during camping season. But a clean trailer at a realistic price matters more than trying to pick the perfect weekend.

The Bottom Line

If you ask me which travel trailer has the strongest proven resale value from this study, the answer is Airstream.

It dominated the five-year comparison and stayed strong when we looked at older models.

nuCamp T@B was a strong runner-up.

Scamp and Casita also showed why molded-fiberglass trailers deserve attention.

For normal conventional travel trailers, I would not buy from the ranking alone.

The differences are much closer.

What you pay new matters.

The exact product line matters.

The floorplan matters.

And the condition of the individual trailer matters a lot.

My approach would be simple:

Buy the right trailer at the right price, keep water out of it, maintain it, save your records, and plan for resale from the day you buy.

If you are still shopping, How to Buy the Right RV and Save Thousands is a good next step before you sign anything.

Methodology and Limitations

• We sampled 74 model-year 2021 travel trailers across 22 brands and product lines.
• The main number is current J.D. Power Average Retail Value divided by original J.D. Power Suggested List Price.
• We call it the MSRP Retention Index, not true depreciation.
• Each sampled model counted equally within its product line.
• We used base values without adding optional equipment.
• Values were accessed September 2, 2026.
• Asking prices are only market checks. They are not completed sales.
• Our samples are small enough that a few percentage points should not be treated as a precise quality score.
• The long-term table uses selected exact or closest comparable models. It is a direction check, not a controlled long-term experiment.
• Taxes, dealer fees, financing, repairs, accessories, insurance, storage, and selling costs are not included.

One more reason for caution: 2021 was an unusual RV year. The RV Industry Association reported a record 600,240 wholesale RV shipments in 2021, up 39.5% from 2020.

Sources

• J.D. Power – 2021 Airstream Flying Cloud 25FB values
• J.D. Power – 2016 Airstream Flying Cloud 25FB values
• J.D. Power – 2021 nuCamp T@B 400 values
• RV Industry Association – 2021 shipment record
• RVDA NewsBrief – J.D. Power Q2 2026 RV market summary
• Black Book – Q2 2026 Recreational Vehicles Market Update
• Scamp Owners International – trailers for sale
• Current 2016 Scamp 16 Deluxe asking-price example
• Current Casita Spirit Deluxe asking-price example

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Related Reading:

How Depreciation Affects Travel Trailer Value

How Much Can You Negotiate Off a Travel Trailer?

How to Buy a Used RV From a Private Seller

115-Point RV Inspection Checklist

Is an RV Inspection Worth the Cost?

How Long Does a Travel Trailer Last?

7 Best Fiberglass Travel Trailer Brands

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