re: Travel tipping point. Flying vs drive

I’ll always drive if I have time. I like driving long distances. Flying is a hassle.

I think what we’re doing and the rental car situation is more of a factor than time to travel.

I’ll drive to Gatlinburg (10-12 hours) because my other option is to fly, rent a car, then drive 1-3 hours depending on airport we fly into. But fly to Disney (8-9 hours) because once I’m there I don’t touch my car.

10 hours or less = drive

if you live in south LA there is nothing to look at within an 8 hour drive in any direction. Nothing but flat fields, lawyer billboards and pine trees.

I fly to cool places then rent a vehicle to drive to other cool places. The trip I’m on now we flew to boise and drove thru Idaho and Montana to glacier NP; we will fly home from there

I really like driving but the vast expanse of nothing between home and someplace beautiful precludes the 100% driving trip

5 hour drive + = fly

I’m clearly in the minority here. I flew to Panama City through Houston a few weeks ago to get to seaside. Travel time was a llonger but I didn’t have to deal with traffic and I wasn’t in a hurry. I have to go to Memphis in a couple weeks and I’m doing the same thing to avoid that 5.5 hour boring arse drive.

I have a ton of points from work travel so it’s free. Also have SW companion pass so it’s free for my son as well. I can get things done on the planes while relaxing and having a couple drinks.

I know it sounds insane, and it is to an extent. I just hate driving.

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That's more Midwest KS, OK, and NE. They west is not like that at all.

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Heck once youre west if central Nebraska is way different.

Total travel time For example. Flight from Houston to Dallas. Driving time 4 hours (with traffic 5). Or Southwest Air: be at airport 1 hour early, allow 40 mins to get to airport in case of traffic. 1 hour in the air if no delays. Land/taxi/deplane another 30 mins. Uber to precise location 30 mins, additional Ubers during stay $$$$.

Time taken roughly the same.

Gas still cheaper than the ticket (one fill up) and you have greater comfort in your own car. And additional passengers are the same price

Same for Houston to BR. Definitely more comfortable to drive and same total as to fly+Uber

Used to drive Houston to St Louis for Xmas, but also because we are a family of five plus pets and when kids were young we were broke. Looking back, I actually really enjoyed those car trips with kids zonked out in PJs, listening to music with the hubs. Random Mc Ds stops in the Ozarks

My criteria has grown now that the majority of airlines are crap. 10-12 hrs, I drive and sometimes 12-15 under certain circumstances. Hate the airports, people, security, price, rentals needed, delays, cancellations, etc.

I'm currently trying to figure this out.

Going to Maine which is roughly 22 hours away. The nearest airport is an hour from me and I hate asking friends to drop us off in the early morning or late at night. I'd prefer to drive then I already have my car and can bring whatever.

22 hours is a haul though.