[tazman9r]

Certainly, time is the most expensive asset we have. Travelling by air protects that asset, but only for trips over about 350 - 400 miles. The time it takes to drive from your house to the airport, park, get to the terminal, navigate security, wait at the gate, and that does not cover any ATC (Air Traffic Control) delay you might encounter, and possible gate delay at the destination airport, then traveling from the destination airport to your ultimate destination, an hour flight might extened to upwards of a 6 hour time commitment (statement taken from my own experience). At that rate you might as well have driven, but with $3.00 and up gas, you might not save any money driving vs. a ticket on Southwest.

Ok, if you fly you save miles on your car.

So for a short distance under 400 miles, which do you prefer, driving or flying?

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I'd prefer to fly anytime that the total time, from leaving my house for the airport to arriving at my final destination, is less than if I drove. However, the one problem I have with flying for certain purposes is getting there and not having a car! That's the one big advantage to driving.

[tazman9r]

Certainly having to rent a car expands the cost of the trip, if the price of your ticket is about as much as the cost of your gas and the cost to the mileage on your car. And renting a car can add another hour or so (maybe more) to your total trip.

I would advise any air traveler to drive if your distance is anything under 400 miles. Unless you are traveling with enough people to fill to capacity a single engine piston aircraft, like a Piper Malibu or Piper Lance, or something comparable, your not going to save any time for the money you'll spend driving or flying Southwest.