How far to drive to save $

[Raysplus1]

We live 20min. from an airport that usually costs $230 to fly to MCO. We can drive 3hrs to Kansas City and also fly to MCO. How much would you have save to make this trip.

 

[crisi]

Do you have kids? how old are they? Do they travel well? What time is the flight out? How many tickets are you purchasing.

3 hours there and back is six hours of your time. For us, I wouldn't do it if the tickets are free. We have two small children who don't do well in the car for three hours, we like to take the early flight out, neither of us likes long car trips, and the extra sleep is worth something. And my time and gas are certainly worth something as well.

Now, if it were just me and gas was free and I wasn't flying out until late, I'd do it to save $30.

 

[safetymom]

It's not so bad at the beginning of your trip but at the end of your trip you would appreciate being closer to home.

 

[crisi]

BTW - here is something to think about...

3 hours at 60 miles an hour each way totals 360 miles

The IRS mileage allowance is $.14 a mile for charity or medical reasons (more for business).

The IRS thinks it will cost you $50 to make this trip

 

[tarheelmjfan]

I live 15 to 20 min. (depending on traffic) from the Tampa Airport (TPA). I once drove the 1 hr 15 min. drive to MCO in order to save $50 ea. on a ticket for both my son and myself. I wouldn't do it again to save $100+ each. For me it is not only the drive, but the difference in the Airports. At TPA, it is fairly easy to find a parking space. IMO, it is also much easier to get around in. It is a very customer friendly airport. Normally, from the time we hit the run-way, the plane is parked and ready to disembark withing 15 min. At MCO my DH couldn't find a place to park, so he finally had to just drop us off and leave. I was also a bit put out when after touching down on our return flight to MCO, we literally drove around 35 min. prior to being assigned a gate. (I timed it, because I couldn't believe that it was taking so long.)

I do understand that this situation may be very different from yours, and I realize that you have to fly into MCO either way, so please don't let my experience dampen your excitement in any way. The point that I am trying to make, is that unless the service at KC is superior to your local airport, I would stick close to home. For me personally, I would have to save at least $100, if not more, per ticket to drive 3 hrs., because you really end up driving 6hrs. JMO and hope it helps.

 

[pjlla]

I didn't vote.... it would probably take more than $50 per ticket for me to drive three hours versus 15-20 minutes!! Probably at least $100 per ticket. I live 30-40 minutes from Manchester airport. I also live about 1 1/2 - 2 hours from Logan (Boston). The price difference would probably have to be in the $100/pp range for me to consider that miserable drive into Boston!!....P

 

[Raysplus1]

To respond to some questions there are 5 of us. 7yr. DS, 2yr DD, and a 18month DD.

The main reason we would fly out of KC, would be to fly Southwest where $50 per ticket quickly adds up to $250. Our children do travel well as we make 1 to 2hr trips quite often.

 

[skiwee1]

If that were $50 per person and you have 6 people going I can see maybe driving an hour. There is no way I'd drive 2 or even 3 hours for a measley $50! I wouldn't drive 3 hours to save $500. How many tickets are you going to save $50 on? That might help. Please don't say the total is $50! Now I see you are going to save $250 by driving. I wouldn't do it. My DD travels well too as we drive to WDW most of the time driving 950 miles! I still wouldn't drive for 3 hours to save money. Even if your kids travel well 3 hours is a long ride. Especially coming home.

 

[mrsboz]

I wouldn't do it. I wouldn't want to add that much time onto my flight travel. Remember once you get there and sit in the car for three hours you still have to sit in the airplane to get there. You would definitely have to tempt me with a lot more money than that. There are five of us. It all depends on whether you and yours would mind the extra travel time. I know that when we hit the airport on the way home. I just want to get home. We are about 45 minutes away and it feels like five hours. All I want to do is take a shower in my own bathroom and sleep in my own bed.

 

[gigi1313]

how much will it cost to park at the various airports? i know our local airport has much cheaper parking rates than the international airport two hours away... so what we save on tickets, we pay in parking, which means we drive for naught!

plus, i concur w/the other posters... you cannot put a price tag on a relaxing vacation... the thought of missing my flight 'cause my three hour drive turned into a six hour drive due to construction, accident, etc is not worth the risk nor the dollars... before i'd try to scrimp on airfare by driving all that add'l distance, i'd first consider downgrading to a value or moderate or buy a less expensive park hopper and do other (free) things (i.e. look for hidden mickeys at various resorts, go to the campfire sing at fw, etc)...

good luck and enjoy, whatever you decide )

 

[DisneyArk]

We drove 3.5 hours to fly out of Kansas City. We flew Southwest and it was a DIRECT FLIGHT. We saved quite a bit of money, but the direct flight was also a deciding factor for us! Our kids watched movies in the car and were so happy to only fly on 1 airplane to Orlando.

Since we saved time not having a layover it did not take us any longer total traveling time to get to Orlando!

 

[jann1033]

i'd rather have 6 more hrs ( 3 day coming and 3 going) at wdw than save $50...that's less than $10 an hr!. 100 might make me drive another hr or 1 1/2 hr but 3 hrs would be a long trip home after vacation and i'd want to take the latest plane home i could so it would be late at night..not worth it for $50 so i didn't vote.

 

[CheapMom]

$250 is a big savings but I still I would pass. If a 3 hour drive at the beginning and end of your trip doesn't sound too bad then go for it.

 

[disneysteve]

I would definitely drive 3 hours to save $250. I'm surprised how many folks say they wouldn't. Heck, we drive to WDW from NJ (17 hours) to save $800.

Think of it this way. For 6 hours of driving, you save $250. That's like earning $41.66/hour. Now if you are a well-paid professional, you may feel your time is more valuable than that. But if you are an average wage-earner, I bet you earn considerably less than that. I vote for having that $250 in my pocket instead of the airlines' pocket.

 

[CheapMom]

Don't forget as others have pointed out- you have to figure travel costs. at $2.00 a gallon it is a major consideration- and believe me- those IRS figures are low. I am an independant contracor who travels for work so I use the IRS table- their figures are in no way generous.

 

[disneysteve]

Originally posted by CheapMom
Don't forget as others have pointed out- you have to figure travel costs. at $2.00 a gallon it is a major consideration

Let's assume that the 3 hour trip is 150 miles, so 300 round trip. At 20 mpg and $2/gallon, that is $30 total for gas. So if the trip will save $250 on airfare and you subtract the $30 for gas, you still come out $220 ahead.