Which flight would you choose?

[Scarlet_J]

Which option would you chose?

a) fly out of regular airport that is an easy 30 minute drive. Flight times allow us to pick up kids from school and stop at home quickly to change, use bathroom, etc.

b) fly out of farther airport with unpredictable traffic that could take any where from 1 hour to almost 2 hours. Tighter schedule so we'd have to leave right from school or have to pick them up a little early. We'd also arrive in MCO an hour later than the other flight. However, this option is $2000 cheaper for a family of 4.

 

[kdonnel]

Which option would you chose?

a) fly out of regular airport that is an easy 30 minute drive. Flight times allow us to pick up kids from school and stop at home quickly to change, use bathroom, etc.

b) fly out of farther airport with unpredictable traffic that could take any where from 1 hour to almost 2 hours. Tighter schedule so we'd have to leave right from school or have to pick them up a little early. We'd also arrive in MCO an hour later than the other flight. However, this option is $2000 cheaper for a family of 4.

I would save the $2000 and deal with the unpredictable traffic. That $2000 will pay for a couple bottles of water, one table service meal, and perhaps three balloons.

You described my drive to the Atlanta airport. It takes me anywhere from one hour to two hours.

What kid wouldn't be excited to start their vacation by getting to leave school early?

 

[GBRforWDW]

I'm all for saving money, lol. Guess it depends how much of a price tag you can put on avoiding heavy traffic, and the stress and anxiety that goes with it to barely make the flight on time and get in later in the day. I'm also assuming you're not planning any park time, etc on arrival day, since you're leaving after school. So that hour later could also be cutting into sleep time, that would be nice to have for park exploration the next day.

 

[FCDub]

Save $2,000

 

[Carol_]

$2k buys a lot of cheese sandwiches... and all the souvenirs you otherwise would have said “no” to.

 

[JenBush]

$2,000 is a lot to me so I’d definitely save the money and go to the further airport.

 

[NJlauren]

So we are similar airport situations. (Do you live in northern NJ too?)

Our threshold is $500 for break even, anything more then that is actual savings. This takes into accounts the tolls, gas and what I think of as the cost of my time.

So for $2000 you bet I’m going to JFK!

 

[Scarlet_J]

Thanks for your input. We don't plan to do anything on travel day, just get to the hotel to be ready for the next morning. The cheaper flight does get us in at 11pm, so it is pretty late for the kids.

So we are similar airport situations. (Do you live in northern NJ too?)

Our threshold is $500 for break even, anything more then that is actual savings. This takes into accounts the tolls, gas and what I think of as the cost of my time.

So for $2000 you bet I’m going to JFK!

Ha, yes! We do it and then say never again! But its quite a bit on money.

What kid wouldn't be excited to start their vacation by getting to leave school early?

I'm sure they'd love it, but we actually have to take them out of school for a couple of days, so I'm trying to avoid more time.

 

[Cheburashka]

Which option would you chose?

a) fly out of regular airport that is an easy 30 minute drive. Flight times allow us to pick up kids from school and stop at home quickly to change, use bathroom, etc.

b) fly out of farther airport with unpredictable traffic that could take any where from 1 hour to almost 2 hours. Tighter schedule so we'd have to leave right from school or have to pick them up a little early. We'd also arrive in MCO an hour later than the other flight. However, this option is $2000 cheaper for a family of 4.

I would save the $2,000. No contest when the only issues are a somewhat longer drive and having to pick the kids up early from school.

The kids don't need to change out of their school clothes to board a flight, and they can go to the bathroom at a gas station or the airport. When my son was younger I actually found it easier to get out of the house before a trip when he was at school, because he wasn't underfoot. We'd finish packing and get the bags in the car, pick him up from school, then drive straight to the airport. Seamless.

I can think of a lot of better ways to spend (or save, or invest, or donate to charity) $2,000.

 

[NJlauren]

Ha, yes! We do it and then say never again! But its quite a bit on money.

Now I’m wondering is it Jersey week?

Honestly with the kids it has to be a bit of money to make it worth it. $2000 it’s worth it for us, 500/600 it’s a harder call. The car ride to JFK or LGA (or Philly) after school can be rough so I get it.

I would save the 2k, stay at the Hyatt at the airport and move to Disney the next day, but that’s just me.

 

[EACarlson]

For less than that I've driven 4 hours the day before and paid for a hotel for the night.

 

[LadybugsMum]

I'd save the $2k and get the kids out of school a little early.

 

[ajgardner]

I’m usually all about paying extra for convenience, especially on vacation. But $2000, nope. $500 per person for convenience is way overboard in my opinion - there are so many other things you can do with $2000 that’d make your vacation memorable.

 

[mikehn]

Nothing is really 'saved'. It just means you can now pay for a rental car.

 

[sam_gordon]

Based solely on the information presented, I would take the stress and longer drive time to save $2000.

HOWEVER, I would get some more information before making the final decision:
1) What age/grades are the kids?
2) Do they have any kind of test or something else that it would be detrimental to miss?

 

[lampshadehead]

If it was $200.00 dollars, then I would say go with your first option. But for $2,000.00, savings the choice is the second option. I would plan on needing the full two hours to get there, and get the kids early from school. And what is 1 hour, when for all you know, the earlier flight could end up delayed an hour anyway.

 

[boomchip]

Go for the option to save $2k!

 

[GooglyGip]

I would agree with everyone else here. Pull the kids out of school a little early and save the $2000. That's a substantial difference.

 

[kydisneyfans]

This would be a simple decision, save the 2K. For fall break 7-8 years ago, flights were $500+ out of Louisville/Cincinnati/Lexington and there were 5 of us. Flights from Atlanta were $98 RT. We drove the 6 hours then flew the rest of the way in.