Anyone so fed up with airline prices that you are actually considering driving?

[maxiesmom]

I'm still trying to decide what we'll do. Resonable or not, I had a pretty specific budget for this trip and current airfare prices aren't really in that budget.
So .. perhaps we'll drive, perhaps we'll try to shave it from another area in the budget.. and perhaps we'll push the trip forward to December.
1200 for the four of us out of Buffalo is over twice what I paid two years ago.

I don't mean to be mean, but you (and the flying public in general) need to understand that the airlines cannot charge what you paid 2 years ago and stay in business. I know everyone would love to pay $100 a ticket, but that is just not reasonable for what it costs airlines to fly us to where we want to go. Fuel costs are astronomical. There are pilots and Flight Attendants to be paid, as well as the staff on the ground. Flying is not cheap for the airlines, therefore it cannot be cheap for us either.

Edited to add: The $100 I can find from my hometown right now is a price war between new airlines. I don't expect those rates to last forever, but anything under $300 right now is gravy.

 

[kaytieeldr]

The airfare on SW was 1000 for the four of us rt, the car rental(we're staying offsite due to a gifted place from a relative for my bday-whole reason we're able to do this) was about 300 something on top of it after all the taxes etc.

Well, a lot depends on what the "something" is - ninety nine cents? Ten dollars? Twenty five dollars? Seventy five dollars?
Anyway, okay. Let's go with $320. Then you've got gas. A very general search on Mapquest indicates it's 1,165 miles from Chicago (center?) to Walt Disney World. The same search calculates your fuel costs at about $350, based on 20 mpg (don't know what you're renting. Two overnight stops, figure you can get something clean and safe for about $80 a night each way, that's $160. Food, you'll be driving for about eighteen hours according to Mapquest, so even assuming you bring some stuff and stop at hotels that include breakfast, figure at least $20 for lunch and $40 for dinner each day.
$320
$350
$160
$120
------
$950

And you're spending four days traveling, when you could make the entire trip in just six hours in both directions. Yes, I do understand you'd still need to rent a car when you arrive - but how much is your time worth?

 

[maxiesmom]

What dates were yo looking at for $100 each, and what airline?

On Alligiant Airlines during the month of June. There is even one day left that you can fly to Orlando for $19.99 before taxes and fees.

 

[Happy Mom2]

We are a family of 5, and as of now we are driving - 12 hours - in one day! We may break up the drive there into two day, but not sure. My friend's husband works for an airline, and he said that airfare generally go the lowest exactly 15 days prior to departure date. I'm going to check then, but if it's not cheap, I'm ok with driving.

 

[Tara]

Well, a lot depends on what the "something" is - ninety nine cents? Ten dollars? Twenty five dollars? Seventy five dollars?
Anyway, okay. Let's go with $320. Then you've got gas. A very general search on Mapquest indicates it's 1,165 miles from Chicago (center?) to Walt Disney World. The same search calculates your fuel costs at about $350, based on 20 mpg (don't know what you're renting. Two overnight stops, figure you can get something clean and safe for about $80 a night each way, that's $160. Food, you'll be driving for about eighteen hours according to Mapquest, so even assuming you bring some stuff and stop at hotels that include breakfast, figure at least $20 for lunch and $40 for dinner each day.
$320
$350
$160
$120
------
$950

And you're spending four days traveling, when you could make the entire trip in just six hours in both directions. Yes, I do understand you'd still need to rent a car when you arrive - but how much is your time worth?

Excellent analysis, K. This is where I just don't get the drive vs fly thing because there are so many expenses along the way.

 

[kaytieeldr]

The airfare on SW was 1000 for the four of us rt, the car rental(we're staying offsite due to a gifted place from a relative for my bday-whole reason we're able to do this) was about 300 something on top of it after all the taxes etc.

I think I posted it earlier in this thread - JetBlue can fly me round trip to Las Vegas for a mere 7.5 cents per mile.
My car gets 25 mpg.
If the average price of a gallon of gas is $3, that same $388 (5,200 miles round trip) will get me 1,875 miles by car. I'd be stuck out in Nebraska somewhere... and I just found out, while researching for another thread, that Continental can get me there for only about $230, or just FOUR cents a mile! Now, can somebody PLEASE tell me how they're making ANY money on that ticket????

eta: more on the finances of my potential trip. Total miles one way 2,740. Total drive time 42 hours nonstop since I'll be driving alone, and I'm not like that obsessed astronaut. I would be making stops. Unreasonable solo driving would have me there in four days... and four days back. Sensible driving would take five days in each direction. Oops. Stop here. I only get ten vacation days. No, wait there's also the weekend, and flex/float days. Note to self: NO more time off until this Herculean prove-a-point drive!

Okay. Gas. $386.42 one way, so $772.84 round trip. Four hotel nights in each direction - no, wait, three nights, I get there or home late on the fourth night! - $80 per night for the hotel, since I'm sure I can find a Fairfield Inn at each stop, now if only I could find my Marriott connection... food. Let's see. I do pretty well on junk food and one meal a day, and by junk food I mean easy to eat. Could be something as nasty as a candy bar or as healthy as a smoothie or a banana. Food, $20 a day.

Gas, rounded up, $773
Hotel, eight - no, six nights, $480
Food, six days, $120 (all junk food brought from home, cost doesn't count)

Actual travel expense $1,373
Compare to actual air travel expense
$Airfare $388
Rental car $225
Total $613 - less than half what it would have cost me to drive

 

[Brian Noble]

To be fair, that poster was adding the $300 rental car costs to the costs of flying to Orlando---they are staying offiste. I think they'd be driving their own car down.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Okay, Brian - thanks for clearing that up. You're right (but I still like my analysis ). I got confused because a number of people who drive to vacation destinations DO rent cars to do it; I apologize to the OP for misunderstanding what she said.

 

[TheSixOfUs]

It would take us about 2 weeks to drive from western Canada. Plus I think our kids would kill each other. We are saving all our miles with Alaska Air to fly down next year.

 

[bookwormde]

I agree if you have to make it a 2 day trip flying makes much more sense, but for those of us in the 1000 mile range (15 hours) who drive straight through, while flying in nice, by the time we get to the airport, 1.5 hours early that is 2.5 hours and 2.5 your flights takes and 1 hours from the time we deplane aand get to the resort (total of 6 hours) that makes driving only 9 hours longer, for those of us who stay 2 weeks by the time we get a rental car, the savings is $1000++. I leave friday night at about 10pm and arrive at the resort at about 1pm Sat.

bookwormde

 

[kidd_freeper]

Yep.

The lowest price to fly my family of six to WDW and a rental van for two weeks was $2300. We can drive round trip for $600...and can bring whatever we want without being treated like cattle.

It was a no-brainer to decide to drive.

 

[disneydreamingdebby]

We are driving - 16 hours for us. Regardless if the price per mile is cheaper/ better value to fly, the OOP expenses are far greater. It would be like adding points on DVC. It is cheaper per point to buy 200 points, but the overall cost is higher.

For us- gas will run under $300 RT (Trip gas price reports $233), add in a hotel stop on the way home $100, a couple of tolls $15, and of course, coffee, etc. (which means something for the kids) $50 - We are under $500.

Flying four of us - $1000 plus (let's travel light) $50 bags. (I almost forget the beverages and food at the airport!) In the summer, we have the extra time to drive. The $500 savings can go towards winter flights (when we can't drive).

I think each family has to determine what's best for them.

 

[CharliNye]

Thank You. That's exactly what I have learned from mapping out gas costs upon the routes, hotel right now is 90 per night(with taxes), so for two nights that's about 180.

From Chicago to Orlando we had gas costs at average about 140 each way so that came to 280. Tolls, undetermined but even if we averaged about 20 each way we have forty right there.

Add MAYBE about 30 dollars total for food each way-since I'd be making lunches etc and putting them and the other snacks in a cooler in the car for the trip.

So total roundtrip we have around 600 driving to and from. We can bring whatever we want with us. We can stop along the way and experience other cities that we haven't seen before.

I don't understand why things here have to be so negative. If there are those of us here who do not have the means or way to drop a couple thousand on airline tickets and rental cars and prefer a different means, that's our business. There's no need to make us feel like we're doing something wrong. I've seen this a lot as a reader of the board and infrequent poster. It's rather sad.

I won't fly anything but SW due to some horrendous experiences on AA and United. Husband is the same way, when you've been stranded and treated horribly by other airlines and find one that treats you well you have a tendency to be faithful. However, SW IS cutting flights everywhere, and one thing I've read is their flights to Orlando are decreasing, therefore their airfare is increasing.

I woul just rather save 1000 and be able to use it at the parks. I may be nervous about the drive but I think it would be a great experience for all of us.

 

[Pembo]

We were going to drive but I found fares on SW, 3 months before our trip for $59 one way. It would still have been cheaper to drive but the time we are saving is worth the price difference.

I say, plan to drive and then keep watching those fares.

 

[NancyIL]

I have driven to FL with my kids several times, but the purpose of those trips was to visit relatives along the way and not go only to WDW. I briefly considered driving to FL solo in the fall, but that idea lasted only a few hours! Due to higher airfares, I will fly less often but stay longer when I go to WDW.

 

[Tara]

I don't understand why things here have to be so negative.

I'm not sure what there is here that is "negative" - it's an exchange of opinions. Some are fed up as the title of this post indicates. Some are not. Everyone should do what works for them. For my family, that's flying. For others, it's driving. As long as everyone goes into whichever they choose with a clear idea of what it's really costing them, I don't think there's any "right" or "wrong."

 

[monymony3471]

Exactly do what you feel is right for you.

As I stated before we are driving. I priced flying again and it's 2000 for my family of 6. Not for the times I want either and that is ncluding 140 to check our luggage.

No thanks.

Also I think some of us are standing on principle to drive too. Why should I have to pay the airlines those prices. I don't and I won't.

 

[HHSTigerFan]

No way would I spend $1700 to fly from Nashville, with a 10 hour drive, only saving a few hours, would prefer to spend that on a hotel or dining upgrade..

 

[SurfinTX]

I agree that for singles and couples that flying is the preferable option. For families it starts becoming a tradeoff balancing cost vs. convenience. I can use my family of 5 as an example.

We are travelling from Dallas, TX to Orlando which is nearly 1200 miles.

If we flew from DFW:

I had been checking prices since Oct. The best rate was by Air Tran for $220 after taxes and fees not including luggage. Would not have to rent since staying on site. Airport parking runs $8.00 a day. Say sundries while flying and having to check at least one bag due to restrictions of carryon fluids $70. Total travel time both ways 9 hours including leaving 3 hours early for outbound. We could gain a day and a half at resorts and parks but at a cost of $450 at current rates so not likely.
$1425
----

If we drove: Van gets 25 mpg highway. Average price right now is $2.77 a gallon. $270 We planned ahead with Priceline and have 3 nights hotel for $50 each. We will pack food and will have 2 free breakfasts. Plan on a fast food meal each way and a nice sit down seafood in Louisiana. $150. Wear and tear on vehicle will be around $250 but a lot of the maintenance is necessary. Travel time 36 hours. We gain a day at the beach, a night at DTD and longer day in park on last day plus use of our van in park as an option.
$840

So for us it is a no-brainer to drive. On top of that the way we can pack for the trip in the van would cost us another $125 in baggage fees to carry all of the nice extras like plushies, pillows and toys the kids like to have around them.

If you go to airline message boards the rants are just about the same. Airlines need to control costs, primarily salaries to bring profitability, not raise airfares. You can see by the number of segments American flies now as compared to 2007 that demand drops way off at certain price levels due to the attractiveness of alternatives. Most of the legacy carriers are still losing millions a quarter even with much better loadings per plane and fees out the wazzoo. The airfare from Dallas would have to rise to an average of $180 each way including fees and taxes (as an example) to make them profitable. Bookings would plummet. Planes would idle and then layoffs would have to occur.

What they need to do is what Emirates and Qatar have done which is to have a first and business class product that will actually attract full fare clientele. i.e. Spend $700 to $1200 on a first class passenger and he will purchase $2500 to $7000 with no regrets. As it is there are a high percentage of just reward and upgrade travelers in "First". (Really business unless international)

 

[goofy4tink]

If I could drive to WDW in 12 hrs or less, then I would do that. But, I live a 24 hr drive away..that means 2 days out of my vacation, on each end taken away being in a car. For me, time is money.
I would love to see those really low fares return. But, that is probably not going to happen. At least, not across the board. Airlines just can not turn any kind of profit by keeping those really low fares. In order to get a better return, they have to cut flights and fly fewer planes at capacity. And that means some areas are going to see fewer flights.

If someone wants to drive, that's up to them. It just doesn't appeal to me. We all got used to those ridiculously low airfares, which allowed us to head to WDW frequently. We got spoiled. Now, we have to really search in order to find decent fares that we can live with. Some people aren't going to find those fares no matter how hard they look simply because of where they live. Here in central Mass, I have Boston, Manchester, Providence, Hartford and even Worcester to choose from. Very lucky. Others don't have those options.

No one is saying anything negative here. It's a well mannered discussion. Keep it that way.