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For me, time plus load. When I'm traveling for my photography business, I will be carrying bulky equipment--driving is strongly preferable, even if I can bill the client.
For virtually any trip under 8 hours driving time, I'll drive. Airport-hassle time plus flying time never saves me enough time less than that to make that hassle worthwhile.
For me, time plus load. When I'm traveling for my photography business, I will be carrying bulky equipment--driving is strongly preferable, even if I can bill the client.
For virtually any trip under 8 hours driving time, I'll drive. Airport-hassle time plus flying time never saves me enough time less than that to make that hassle worthwhile.
Yeah, it does depend on what I want to bring with me. Some stuff the airlines won't carry at all, other stuff they will try to carry it but tend to break it, they tend to not do freight all that well.
Also on the final destination, how much I want a car there, and if I want *my* car or if I would prefer a rental car. Washington DC is one extreme example - a true motoring hell if there is one. If going to DC, I really strongly prefer to fly into Reagan and then take the Metro. There is not much there that I can't do by Metro and say a one-mile walk. But living in "that other Washington", DC is just too damn far to drive. If I had to drive there, I just wouldn't go.
Another trip I actually do take fairly frequently is to Seattle, where the step-daughter lives, and of course there is Trader Joe's, the outfit I take my Rolexes to for service, Pike Place, etc. Since we live about an hour's drive from both Pasco and Yakima airports, and would have to pay for parking there, we always drive, although I prefer to drive to Sea-Tac, get a motel there with free parking, then take the light rail downtown.
It also depends on how appealing the country I will drive through is - both from a scenery and attractions standpoint (Think there is no advantage to driving across the Great Plains? There are all sorts of interesting museums, all sorts of great BBQ joints.) But this depends on weather, I'm not much up for mid-summer or snow time.
I know there is no exact number of miles, but generally speaking, what is the minimum distance where it makes more practical sense for you to fly instead of drive to your destination?
Lets assume that the majority of the trip can be done by highway and that there is an airport with decent commercial air service near ones home and destination.
For myself, I'd say 250-300 miles for an absolute minimum, maybe as far as 500.
What say you?
If on a "Rubber Tire Vacation" (Meaning a meandering trip with a set point to reach but not a time limit on getting there) then NO amount of flying makes up for it.
But if the "Vacation" is for a set number days then flying would be worth it. It's all depending on what your pocketbook can handle.
Depends if i am solo or not. If I'm solo- then anything over 6 hours, i would probably fly. Flying isn't expensive right now. I can find flights on spirit for about 100 bucks. Now when i drove from MInnesota to philly i chose to drive. Because my son had just turned two so he wouldn't fly free. It was 6 of us total. saved a lot of money
Washington DC is one extreme example - a true motoring hell if there is one. If going to DC, I really strongly prefer to fly into Reagan and then take the Metro. There is not much there that I can't do by Metro and say a one-mile walk.
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
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Originally Posted by M3 Mitch
Yeah, it does depend on what I want to bring with me. Some stuff the airlines won't carry at all, other stuff they will try to carry it but tend to break it, they tend to not do freight all that well.
... advantage to driving across the Great Plains? There are all sorts of interesting museums, all sorts of great BBQ joints.) ....
SWA still is taking (2) 50# coolers of PNW Salmon and Wild Berries (outbound PNW per person)
And returning with (2) 50# coolers of great beef, lamb, BBQ, and brisket.
Next trip in 10 days!
They also haul my tools since I 'Fly-Drive' to fetch CL junkers in non-rust-belt locations.
I can't think of any reason I would fly now unless I had to cross an ocean and even then I think I'd consider a ship. For long land trips, I'd take Amtrak.
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