Drive or fly

[michelb]

I've driven from Windsor to Kissimmee 5 years in a row during March Break...love it. There are 5 of us so that's $2500-$3000 in airfare vs. under $500 in gas: I look at it as someone paying me $2000+ to drive and I do all the driving: 1400km day 1 on the way down, and all in one day on the way home (though I plan on 2 days). Also I stay off site so I love having my own vehicle down there.

That being said, I have been going for 10-14 days each year: if I had a week or less I don't think I'd drive: that's a lot of driving for 5 days or less of actual vacation time.

That directly relates to my comment about ability to fly from US airports.

We booked the flight for our XMas vacation on Frontier Air from Syracuse, NY (probably not a good choice for you) to Orlando, FL. The direct, return flight, leaving Dec18 and returning Jan08 (so outside actual XMas vacation and flying mid-week which makes it cheaper), is a total of $176USD for the 2 adults, 2 kids (i.e. $44USD each). But this is a very no frills flight with personal item only (i.e. backpack) - no checked luggage, no carry-on, no seat selection, no meal.

 

[Pinkgurlshubby]

We have friends that had serious transmission problems that ended up being an extensive repair bill. I don't worry about racking up the mileage on my cars but my situation is very different because I easily put 200 k a day on my car because of where I live and work. I know we have driven twice in about 5 years and we love the drive we love the scenery, we know what hotels we like to go to and what ihops to eat at but once we get to Orlando we only use the car to go to Walmart and Ifly. Other than that it sits in the parking lot. The flip side is when we drive we are like well now how do we go to Walmart!

 

[bankr63]

That being said, I have been going for 10-14 days each year: if I had a week or less I don't think I'd drive: that's a lot of driving for 5 days or less of actual vacation time.

Which is kind of what I was saying about perspective. We look at it as a 9 day vacation with 5 days in Orlando and 4 days enjoying the journey. If you can enjoy the journey as a part of the vacation adventure, then the whole thing is a vacation. I know many can't do this, and view the journey as something to be endured. Those folks will probably never enjoy or do the drive again if they even do it once.

 

[Juventus]

That directly relates to my comment about ability to fly from US airports.

We booked the flight for our XMas vacation on Frontier Air from Syracuse, NY (probably not a good choice for you) to Orlando, FL. The direct, return flight, leaving Dec18 and returning Jan08 (so outside actual XMas vacation and flying mid-week which makes it cheaper), is a total of $176USD for the 2 adults, 2 kids (i.e. $44USD each). But this is a very no frills flight with personal item only (i.e. backpack) - no checked luggage, no carry-on, no seat selection, no meal.

Those prices are from Detroit, March Break. As a teacher can't really avoid it!

 

[michelb]

Those prices are from Detroit, March Break. As a teacher can't really avoid it!

In about 2 weeks, you can check the Frontier Air prices from Detroit (they don't accept reservations that far ahead of time so right now you can only book flights into early March.

 

[Chickinvic]

In about 2 weeks, you can check the Frontier Air prices from Detroit (they don't accept reservations that far ahead of time so right now you can only book flights into early March.

Exactly, when we still lived in Victoria I used to fly out of Bellingham to LA on Allegiant. You could get return trips for sometimes just over $100USD. Of course, I'd have to factor in the cost of the ferry, but we still came out ahead of flying from Canada.