Would you drive 2 hrs. to save $400?

[we3travellers]

I am trying to make a Dec. trip affordable and airfare is ALWAYS a challenge! For 3 of us on the dates I want, it is $1396 to fly from Toronto. If we drive to Buffalo, I can get it for $991. I can change my dates and make the Toronto flights $1227, but we are still talking a savings of $236 from Buffalo. We have done it before just DH and I several years ago, and I don't remember it being too bad, but I just feel it is such an inconvenience now when we have an airport 30 min. away! What would my DIS budget friends do?

 

[pat fan]

Since we have to drive a little over an hour to fly anyway, I would for sure drive 2 hours to save that money!

My debate is if I want to drive 4 -5 hours to save that much! The family leans to no, so we probably won't, but it's so much cheaper to fly JetBlue out of Boston than USAirways out of Hartford!

 

[QVCshopper]

Yes, I would, and I have three kids. We might do something similar next year. We live near Philly but might go to Baltimore for cheaper direct flights to Jamaica.

 

[addicted2dizney]

I am trying to make a Dec. trip affordable and airfare is ALWAYS a challenge! For 3 of us on the dates I want, it is $1396 to fly from Toronto. If we drive to Buffalo, I can get it for $991. I can change my dates and make the Toronto flights $1227, but we are still talking a savings of $236 from Buffalo. We have done it before just DH and I several years ago, and I don't remember it being too bad, but I just feel it is such an inconvenience now when we have an airport 30 min. away! What would my DIS budget friends do?

I've done that before... I've flown out of Philly.. (newark is my local) and also flown into tampa instead of Orlando. I look at it that if I can save more per hour than I earn then it's worth it. For example, one year I saved $600 flying into Tampa instead of Orlando. I figured that I was saving a net $300 per hour, (one hour extra to and from the airport). since I don't earn that much, the extra time was well worth it for me! Just my way of thinking it through but thought I'd share!

 

[richmond282]

I probably would.

 

[clh2]

We are probably leaning to do this in December. Chicago O'hare to New York is MUCH, MUCH cheaper than flying from Milwaukeeto New York.

Multiply that out by 3 flights. We will most likely go to Chicago the evening before, and stay in a hotel, but it is still MUCH cheaper - i.e. $800 or so,

Makes no sense to me at all!

 

[MissManda]

I would. On our last trip, we drove to an airport 3 hours away to save several hundred dollars. We were also able to get a non stop flight from that airport as well which is important to me with my ear problems.

 

[we3travellers]

Thanks, I KNEW you guys would support me!

addicted2dizney - LOVE your "per hour" thinking! I am a SAHM, so although I am worth much more, I certainly don't make it! I had also not thought of Tampa, but I just checked and it's higher from both airports.

MissManda - there would be no question that I would do it if we were talking connection vs. direct. I HATE connecting! Both are direct for us.

I should also say that the Buffalo option gives us a few more hours on each end in WDW! 2 hours earlier on arrival day and 5 hours more on departure! That's a good enough reason right there. 3 hrs extra on the road for 7 hrs extra in the WORLD? I'll take it!

 

[mrsklamc]

Is there a difference in parking charges? If not, yes. I'd look at it as 'making' $200 an hour.

 

[mrsklamc]

Although apparently I wouldn't because DH says he doesn't want to drive two more hours when he's tired at the end of vacation.

 

[drcmk]

Although apparently I wouldn't because DH says he doesn't want to drive two more hours when he's tired at the end of vacation.

We've made exactly the opposite decision. It isn't worth two hundred dollars to have to drive another two hours after getting off the plane and to get home two hours later in the day. It makes the trip home more grueling.

Also I didn't see if OP factored in her gas costs to drive two hours. For us, that would be about $40 in gasoline.

 

[sara mom]

I would! We live in Rochester and always price flights out of Buffalo, Rochester, and Syracuse. It adds about 90 extra minutes of travel time to either city (and luckily we don't have any border issues that you would have to deal with) but it works for us. Buffalo and Syracuse have direct flight options to Orlando on Southwest (Buf) or Jetblue (SYR) that we don't have available here.

Good luck!

 

[pigletto]

Absolutely. I am closer to Buffalo airport but not much further to YYZ. I would chose Buffalo in this scenario simply because I FAR prefer the airport itself. Buffalo is quite small, easy to navigate and parking is way cheaper.
YYZ is absolutely huge and in my opinion you'll spend at least an extra hour navigating the parking area, getting to the ticket counter, going through customs and getting to your gate.
Then on the way back, I make a verbal declaration at the border and they send us right through every time. I find customs at YYZ more intimidating and a way lengthier process. There is always a big line.

Then add in the fact that our government pretty much sets the prices and the RIDICULOUS taxes on our flights and I'll continue to use Buffalo until they decide to become more competitive with the US market.

I got our flights, all in (bag fees, seat fees, taxes etc) out of Buffalo for 1250. I could not find anything for the 5 of us under 3000 out of Canada. The difference is staggering.

 

[LittleMissMagic]

Definitely. We have the option of driving 45 min to GSP, a small airport, or 1.5 hrs to Atlanta where we can almost always fly for cheaper and direct. We always go that extra half hour if it's less expensive.

 

[we3travellers]

So let's see. The pros of Buffalo are:

Save $400
7 more hrs in WDW
Smaller airport to navigate
Easier customs declaration

Cons:

1.5 hrs. further in each direction

I think I have my answer!

BTW, can you believe the base fare from Buffalo is actually MORE?! It is our crazy Cdn taxes that make YYZ so much more expensive!

 

[ssawka]

All other things being equal, I would! That is, how does parking fees compare? Are both flights on the same airline? What about baggage fees? Are there any tolls heading to Buffalo? What are gas prices like in CA? You need to look at all costs, not just the airfare.

 

[sk!mom]

Yep, we do it every time we travel. Our local regional airport only offers flights to one major city and they are often cancelled.

It actually saves time, hassle, and $$ to drive 3 hours to the nearest major airport and fly from there.

 

[kellydizfan]

Yes I would do it and have done it. Parking - are you paying either way to leave your car? Can you get someone to take and pick you up?

 

[wgeo]

Yep, we are only saving $300 after an increase in parking and gas, and our drive is only 1 hr and 30 minutes longer, but to us that amount of money is worth the extra drive. We'll bring along a dvd player, but in the kids favorite movie and the extra time shouldn't be too bad!

 

[KCmike]

We just drove 8hrs to save $1100. Driving home after the trip is sort of a bummer.