Should we drive or fly??!!

[bbak3030]

We are around 12 hours away. We flew last time, driving this time.
Flying was fine, but expensive and we missed having a car. And having to scale down on the packing.
This time it would cost over $1,600 to fly. We figure between the savings, we could also have access to our car AND be able to pack what we want. Would like to bring breakfast foods, snacks, water and some adult beverages. and I'm a light sleeper, so I like bringing a box fan when we travel. Helps soooo much.

We are planning to leave around midnight and drove straight through, arriving early afternoon. My sister and her crew are planning the same. The hubby's will sleep during the day and drive as long as they can and then the girls take over.
My girls are 4 and 8 and do great on long trips. My sisters kids are 5 and 2 and don't do as great. So we are hoping they sleep.

 

[Princess Nancy]

Well decided to drive...then southwest is dangling $1100 in front of me for 5 of us to fly!!!
I would have one more hotel night but that means more vacation time!!!

Running the numbers now!!!!

 

[Princess Nancy]

Just thought I should report back...we decided to fly!!! Got great flight times and are avoiding any hotel nights traveling to and from.

So happy!!!!
Thanks for everyone's input!!!

 

[dbramer]

Checked airlines (SW) and the quoted price was $1600 for four of us. We live in Baltimore and it is about a 12 hour drive. We are leaving at around 6-7 pm and driving through. Three adults and three kids in a minivan. They should sleep a good portion of the way down and we get there in time for rope drop on first day of vacation. Three adults, approximately 4 hours each driver, still leaving almost eight hours for each adult to sleep. My DW is also a notorious overpacker....no contest...we are driving.

 

[mjmyers10]

We were having this debate for thanksgiving. It is 2 adults and a toddler. Being right outside Philly, it would be a 15 hour drive. Spirit had flights out of AC for a decent price but by the time you factor in driving there, parking, bag fees, etc. it came out to a couple hundred dollars cheaper to drive. Our plan is to leave at 1 am on Black Friday and get there around dinner time. The drive back we will split into a 2 day drive.

 

[ericstac]

these are some nice prices.. we have about a 12 hour drive from Texas and the flight for 5 of us at Southwest is over 3000.00 so we are sticking to driving. are yall talking one way prices or something?

 

[sam_gordon]

We were having this debate for thanksgiving. It is 2 adults and a toddler. Being right outside Philly, it would be a 15 hour drive. Spirit had flights out of AC for a decent price but by the time you factor in driving there, parking, bag fees, etc. it came out to a couple hundred dollars cheaper to drive. Our plan is to leave at 1 am on Black Friday and get there around dinner time. The drive back we will split into a 2 day drive.

Just a couple hundred dollars cheaper? I'd fly. It looks ~15 hour drive vs. 2 hour flight. Add in pre- and post- flight times, you're still looking about about 5-6 to fly vs. 15 hours drive. So, "a couple hundred dollars" to 'save' almost 20 hours (round trip)? Heck yes, I'd fly.

 

[Princess Nancy]

I kept adding days to our trip to save $200 on airfare! Sh finally said, why? Those extra days will cost much more than you are saving!!

We figured driving would be 13-14 hours
$400 gas
At least one hotel night on the way down, we had not decided what to do back and it was going to be Dec22! Holiday Traffic.

We would be sleeping all five of us in one hotel room and sharing one bathroom -my least favorite thing to do!!!!

So for $1309 round trip on southwest, we fly! No extra hotel nights. We stay only at our condo and then back home. Our flight down changes planes in Atlanta but nonstop coming home. That was an extra $50 total but toe that was worth it esp on a holiday weekend!

And quite honestly, we don't have to get gown for anything so we would take a bump all day long!

 

[kydisneyfans]

My driveway is exactly 1 hour south of the Spence Bridge along I75.

We just drove to Disney, 13 1/2 hours down, 13 1/4 hours back. We did not stop either way. We have made the trip 11 times now, all driving.

Flights from Lexington were just under $400 RT, plus parking would have made it around $1250. Total gas used in our Mazda was $151. Add a bit for wear and tear and we were still close to $1000 ahead. Allegient from Lexington flys into Sanford only, the fees on that airline are insane, then the rentals are much more expensive at Sanford than MCO.

We looked at SW from Louisville, it was a little better, but the nonstop flight is at rush hour. We would have needed to leave 4 hours+ before the flight(2 hr drive/2 hrs early to the airport), the flight time, then Orlando to Disney=at least 7 hours.

Basically I saved nearly a grand for 13 hours of my time. It's worth the drive.