Road Trip or Air Travel? How To Decide Which Travel Option is Right for You

When planning to take a trip, how do you decide on your mode of transportation? Do you drive? Fly? Ride a bike? There are benefits and drawbacks to road tripping and air travel that should be taken into account while planning your next trip.

Time. The main advantage of flying over driving is the amount of time it takes to get from point A to point B. In most situations, it’s clear when a distance is too far to drive or too near to fly; you should probably fly from New York to Los Angeles and drive from New York to Philadelphia. There are other factors to consider as well. If you’re planning a short weekend visit, a road trip from Cleveland to Washington D.C., an eight hour drive each way, could cut into your vacation time. When the travel distance is in a gray area between flying and driving, consider your time constraints when you make a decision.

Money. When time isn’t an issue, money is often the deciding factor. Air travel is generally more expensive than driving, but only to a point. Let’s say the average round trip plane ticket between any two major cities in the continental U.S. costs $350. At what travel distance does flying become more economical than driving? If gas costs $3.50 per gallon, and the average car gets 30 miles per gallon on the highway, then each mile costs the driver about $0.12. So, to match the plane ticket’s $350 price tag, you’d have to drive 1,458 miles one way or 2,916 miles round trip. That’s from Pittsburg to Denver and back again before a road trip would cost more than air fare. You can do your own calculations when it’s time to take a trip, but remember to factor in things like food, lodging and vehicle maintenance.

Related to the issue of cost is the number of people that are traveling with you. When you drive, the cost of gas can be divided by the number of people in the car. Plane tickets can be expensive if the whole family is traveling.  For this reason, the size of the group you’re traveling with will be a major factor in the price of the trip as a whole, and the cost per person.

Convenience. Travel plans are often decided by whether it is more convenient to drive or fly. Flying with children or pets can be tough if you choose the wrong airline, and driving long distances with a baby in the car can be a challenge as well. There’s also personal preference to consider. If driving 500 miles sounds like torture, then you’ll probably choose air travel whenever it’s an option. However, if you love taking long, meandering road trips, the 500 or even 1,000 mile drive might not sound so bad. Whichever way you decide, make sure you’ve taken all of these factors into account when it’s time to plan a trip.

If you do decide to drive, make sure you’re covered by vehicle insurance. If you’re not sure how to find an affordable policy, compare quotes from several insurance companies before choosing a provider.

Dale Cooper is a content specialist at Rosetta, a full-service interactive marking agency. He has worked in the SEO and online marketing space for two years, and holds a B.A. in English.