Driving vs. Flying – cost comparison for traveling

Driving used to always be the cheaper way when we were growing up, but now… flying can actually be cheaper (and faster) than driving. That’s why we seem to always question… to drive or to fly?? You’d think it’s just about cost, but there are a lot more factors we consider when deciding how to get to our next destination through cost comparison.

To make it a little easier, we made a flow chart for you. Click to download!

Here’s how we use this decision tree:

1. How far is the trip if you were to drive?

If less than 4 hours, drive. By the time you leave for the airport, go through security, and board the plane, you won’t be saving that much time or money. Driving instead of flying lets you have the flexibility of having a vehicle during your trip and coming & going whenever you want. Money is not the only factor when it comes to a drive vs. fly cost comparison.

Of course, we are lucky in that our favorite weekender destinations are within a 4-hour drive anyway: Palm Springs, Munds Park, Lake Havasu, and Puerto Peñasco.

2. Would the drive be more than 9 hours?

If more than 9 hours, fly. Since we are limited to vacation time, it is VERY rare that it is worth our time to drive more than 9 hours to our destination. This isn’t the case for everyone. My brother lives in San Angelo, TX. This city only has a regional airport. For this reason, his travel time if flying is usually 8+ hours. For him, his cost comparisons show it’s usually worth it to drive when the drive is less than 12 hours. He also has a family of four, making the cost of flying is much more expensive than our cost of flying.

Tip: Even though 9 hours will work for most people, you might want to set your own maximum drive time. Consider your typical flight travel time vs. what you’d be willing to drive.

3. Are you going on a weekender?

Because we both work full time, 90% of our trips are weekenders. That means we only have 2 nights to make the most of our adventure. The first question we ask ourselves is, “Will flying actually save us time?” When you consider the time it takes to get to the airport, get through security, fly, get your bags (if you’re not already on that carryon-only lifestyle), and get to your destination, flying might actually take a lot longer.

Tip: if you’re going somewhere like Vegas, consider who will be driving hungover on the way home. This might sway your decision to flying.

Common destinations where we end up falling into our 4-9 hour drive time are LA, San Diego, Vegas, Ruidoso, and Yosemite. As soon as we know we’re headed to these destinations, we start tracking flights. After all, we’re all about the Rich Living, Less Spending way of life!

4. What is the cost of flying vs. driving?

We find that most people only look at two things when doing a cost comparison of flying and driving: gas money and ticket price. However, there are several incidental costs that should go into your decision making as well.

Flying:

• Ticket prices – a flight that seems cheap might actually be expensive if you’re buying multiple tickets. Keep this in mind when traveling with a group even if you’re paying separately.
• Cost of airport transfer or parking at the airport
• Baggage fees – with basic economy fares on major airlines, these are not just a budget-airline type of fee
• Snacks & drinks during travel – if you enjoy a Bloody Mary on a flight or a quick breakfast at the airport Starbucks, count that into your budget. Tip: you can bring food through security. I always bring snacks and an empty water bottle to fill up once I’m through security.
• Travel-sized toiletries – these add up if you travel often. Tip: buy solid shampoo and conditioner. They end up being cheaper than buying mini versions before each flight and don’t count as a liquid!
• Transportation once you are at your destination – whether it’s rideshare or public transportation, factor this in when you’re making the decision to bring or leave your car behind.
• Groceries – when we drive, we often pack up the car with big coolers of food & drinks to save money on eating out. When you fly, you’re more limited on what you can bring. That being said, we still grocery shop at our destinations… we just walk or rideshare (another cost). This is an often-overlooked factor in a drive vs. fly cost comparison.

Driving:

• Gas – keep in mind the cost of gas varies by location.
• Snacks – we usually bring a mini cooler with us when we travel to bring fresh snacks and cool drinks. Buying a few items at each gas station adds up and makes you feel like crap with all the junk food.
• Parking fees – many hotels have parking fees that can be $30/night. The Vegas Strip hotels started doing this a couple years ago, and it adds up quickly.
• Car maintenance – do you have to get something fixed on your car? Will you need to change your oil before your trip? Make sure your car is in good shape before hitting the open road!
• Your focus – ok… so this isn’t monetary cost, but it’s something to consider. When you’re flying, you don’t have to pay attention. When you’re driving, you have to actively focus on the road. This can be stressful enough for some people to lean their decisions toward flying.

Practice going through the decision tree cost comparison for your next trip. Eventually, it will start to become second nature. The more you do it, the more travel you can afford and squeeze in!

Do you have any tips and tricks for air vs. road travel? We’d love to hear them! Feel free to email us anytime at hi@RichLivingLessSpending.com.