Driving vs Flying

I am not a novice to travel. I have been traveling all my life and have flown everywhere, took trains, buses, public transportation, boats and taxis. I am at a point where I am almost ready to stop flying, however.
Don't get me wrong I find flying mildly entertaining when looking out the window but when you factor in the airfare, parking costs, baggage costs... it becomes almost identical in cost to hopping into my car and driving 1500 miles to get from Florida to upstate new york.
When I moved from NJ to FL I drove in a tiny coupe stuffed to the brim with my belongings. It was grueling 18 hours which made me hate life itself. I-95 is straight and long and boring. And yet it only cost me $400 in my celica. Providing truck gives less gas mileage... I calculated that round trip in my Taco would cost me about $700 in gas + $50 in tolls +$food. I can sleep in the truck to spend the night but it would be a 2 day trip there and a 2 day trip back thus cutting into my vacation. On the other hand judging by last year's blizzard... it took me 4 days to get there being stuck between connecting flights and not being able to fly anywhere.

As it stands now... airfare is about $500 +$100 in parking which is cheaper but comes at a high risk of being stranded due to weather.

I know that it is financially cheaper to drive if you have entire family traveling... many people do that saving about 80% in travel costs. Not so much when traveling alone.

I am sure I am not the only one who have thought of driving vs flying dilemma. Any thoughts guys?

 

I have done the drive from Richmond to Ft Lauderdale many times over, I have also flown. I personally like to drive, it's way longer but I have my truck while i'm down there.

 

I enjoy driving if I have time to see the sights along the way and if I have enough time to accomplish what I set out to do otherwise, I'm flying.

I've worked for a few major passenger airlines and owned my on plane. Going in your own plane makes a big difference. But, the regulators and airlines seemed to have worked hand in hand to take as much fun as they can out of flying. Too bad.

Cost wise, if it's a single person...flying is cheaper I'm guessing. The ware and tare on the truck (the thought of sleeping in my truck turns me off cold) the extra miles that hurt resale and remove usable life from the truck etc...all play againt you. But again, I'd drive anyday over flying if I had the time...

 

One big reason NOT to fly can be defined in one acronym.

You may know them as the people who rummage through your belongings to find your $4 bottle of shampoo they claim is a bomb. Or the same folks who think they are law enforcement, but really they're lower on the food chain than mall cops. They are the people who, on camera say, you "gave up your rights when you bought your ticket" (I've got the video to prove it). And finally, they demand you submit to a virtual strip search or a worthless patdown before boarding a plane when they themselves are the real terrorists. I know them as the morons at the airport.

But you know them as... the TSA

+infinite for driving

 

we drive to buffalo almost every year. it’s about 12hs. we did fly one time when i was like 6 or so. but for 19+ years well i can say 29 year since my oldest bro is 29. mom and dad have or us have always drove. it’s easier in a way. because we usually go for a week or 2.

 

As in most things in life, it depends.

What's your time worth? How much time do you have? What can you afford? What do you PREFER to do?

I've been visiting CA every few months lately and while I do love to drive on the open road, flying makes much more sense with the time I have and in costs as well.

 

my truck doesn't do too well as an ocean-going vessel, so I fly.