Air vs Road Travel

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Son_of_Perdition

Senior Member
On a related note to my post on 'Senior Abuse' I can't help but comment on the realization of the cost of hidden fees associated with air travel. Getting those two tickets for my neighbor was an eye opener. The tickets (one way) were $117 flying out & $102 return trip. So a total cost of $219 each ($438) After adding all fees brought the total price to ($595)!!! they didn't include a bunch of non-essential addons that we could have included, it would have been worse.

So for someone to argue that flying is cheaper than driving (my ONLY mode of transportation) is up in the night. I get 32 MPG the trip is 950 miles one way = 1900 / 32 = 60 gals, X $2.25 per gal = $135 travel expenses. Two nights in a motel = $130 (going & coming), eats = $180 (if I eat high on the hog) total cost = $445. I'm retired & have commuting control around LV, so time is unimportant to me. I don't have to rent a car, or be at the mercy of the shuttles, control my bladder at the whim of the airlines & get to view the scenery as I drive. My legs thank me along with my comfort needs.
 

I'm curious. Do all domestic flights in the US charge for food now? Last time I flew within the US was TN to CA and we got a meal. But that was about 1997.
 
Flying is the quickest way to get from Point A to Point B. Even for shorter distances.

There are too many extras driving; wear & tear on your car...tires, oil, gas. Motel/hotel costs + food.

And flying is safer. More people are killed/injured on the road than in an airplane.

(Sightseeing doesn't apply here. Horse of a different hue.)
 

Falcon said:
Flying is the quickest way to get from Point A to Point B. Even for shorter distances.

Time is not an issue with me, waiting 2 hours in an airport would be.

There are too many extras driving; wear & tear on your car...tires, oil, gas. Motel/hotel costs + food.

Costs would be minimal with my little economy car. You have to eat/sleep where ever you go.

And flying is safer. More people are killed/injured on the road than in an airplane.

This coming from a former pilot is suspect, you only need one wreck to negate that argument.

(Sightseeing doesn't apply here. Horse of a different hue.)

Clouds I've seen. Don't see how it doesn't apply. I've never just driven straight through, stopped along the way many times.
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As you can see it's a non issue with me since I refuse to have others control my destiny.

I'm curious. Do all domestic flights in the US charge for food now? Last time I flew within the US was TN to CA and we got a meal. But that was about 1997.
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It's only a 2 hour flight, no meal was included.
 
jujube said:
Anything less than an eight-hour drive, I'll drive. It takes about the same time when you throw in all the waiting around, etc. An 8-12 hour drive? Iffy. Over 12 hours, I'll fly. I just wish train travel was easier and cheaper than it is now. I LOVE to take the train.

And yes, it IS safer to fly than to drive.
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OMG, I didn't think of rail, I checked into what a ticket would cost for me to travel from Oregon to Las Vegas. The route takes 35 hours, cost $130 each way total $260 plus any fees (???). Sleep in the seat, no problem I can sleep sitting up ask my wife. Club car is available. I did travel from SF to Utah back in 1965, loved it. I could pack a lunch to take along. Bob's your uncle thanks jujube. Driving though Utah to see my sister would take the same time.
 
Son_of_Perdition, I'm with you! Give me a road trip anyday! Along with the coffee and snacks, don't forget to load up on tunes. I have a really old cassette I still play to start every trip, Willie Nelson's, "On the Road Again." That's what makes it a Road Trip!
 
Like many folks nowdays, I'm completely turned off by the hassle of flying, and the long waits, not to mention the uncomfortable seats. I'm a smallish person and the last time I flew domestically I wound up squished between two very large persons who hogged the arm rests and I felt seriously claustrophobic the whole way.
 
Son_of_Perdition said:
OMG, I didn't think of rail, I checked into what a ticket would cost for me to travel from Oregon to Las Vegas. The route takes 35 hours, cost $130 each way total $260 plus any fees (???). Sleep in the seat, no problem I can sleep sitting up ask my wife. Club car is available. I did travel from SF to Utah back in 1965, loved it. I could pack a lunch to take along. Bob's your uncle thanks jujube. Driving though Utah to see my sister would take the same time.
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The best thing about the train is that you can get up and walk around. Wander up to the dining car and get a cup of coffee. Rove around and meet people. Stretch your legs on a regular basis.
 
jujube said:
Anything less than an eight-hour drive, I'll drive. It takes about the same time when you throw in all the waiting around, etc. An 8-12 hour drive? Iffy. Over 12 hours, I'll fly. I just wish train travel was easier and cheaper than it is now. I LOVE to take the train.

And yes, it IS safer to fly than to drive.
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I love to take the train but of course that's only in the UK (although we took trains all the way to Bruge, Belgium once). It is much cheaper to take a one hour flight than to take the train to London. But I highly prefer the train, especially when you can pay a bit extra for first class. With a senior railcard we can save and in first class you get free food and drinks frequently. It's a 4 1/2 hour trip.
 
Son_of_Perdition said:
It's only a 2 hour flight, no meal was included.
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The cheapie airlines here - Ryanair sell food and drinks and most flights are under 2 or 3 hours. However, British Airways would always give you a full breakfast on the one hour flights from Glasgow to London. Don't know if they still do. Even on the 1 hour 15 minute flight from Bangkok to the island where we stay they give you a light meal.

As for flying being a PITA, it doesn't have to be. I'm very organised, do online check in, I always have my zippy bag of liquids and laptop easy to get to for security. Pockets emptied. Passport(s) and boarding card in my hand.
 
The number of people flying continues to increase every year. In fact so much so, that airlines have had to order more planes, hire more air personnel and add more routes and flights to keep up with the demand. We must be doing something right.

Fees were a way for airlines to turn a profit without increasing ticket prices to everyone. Some people will carry on one bag (free) while others will check two or more large cases. Charges for food are minimal, unless you fly business or first and then the meal is included. On most international routes, everyone gets food included in their ticket prices. Regardless, if you purchase food or not on domestic routes, most airlines give passengers a drink and a snack. Passengers are also permitted to bring their own sandwich or whatever food item they choose on-board.

Lastly, check international airline prices versus domestic prices for a two-hour and four-hour flight. The U.S. airlines are still a good deal.
 
oldman said:
The number of people flying continues to increase every year. In fact so much so, that airlines have had to order more planes, hire more air personnel and add more routes and flights to keep up with the demand. We must be doing something right.

Fees were a way for airlines to turn a profit without increasing ticket prices to everyone. Some people will carry on one bag (free) while others will check two or more large cases. Charges for food are minimal, unless you fly business or first and then the meal is included. On most international routes, everyone gets food included in their ticket prices. Regardless, if you purchase food or not on domestic routes, most airlines give passengers a drink and a snack. Passengers are also permitted to bring their own sandwich or whatever food item they choose on-board.

Lastly, check international airline prices versus domestic prices for a two-hour and four-hour flight. The U.S. airlines are still a good deal.
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Our flights are always international with a rare domestic flight or flight to the continent. International flights almost always include free checked bag, free carryon, free meals, free booze. In economy class luggage is either 23 or 30 kg for checked bag.

On our flights to the US which are about 8 hours we get a snack and a drink, then breakfast about 2 hours after takeoff and dinner about 1.5 hours before landing.

I remember the good ole days when I could bring 2 bags at 32 kg each (70lb).
 
There is no such thing as "free food" with any airline. The cost is always included in the ticket price. Domestic airlines stopped doing this because it was no longer cost effective. A lot of food was being tossed and those that wished to have a light breakfast, lunch or dinner are now able to purchase such at a minimal cost. Most small meals are under $10.00. Almost all airlines still provide a light snack and a drink. At United and other airlines, passengers riding in business or first class receive a hot meal (most of the time) and the pilots also are offered food, which I seldom accepted. (Just never like Sky Chef Caterers).

Checking bags can be expensive, if the passengers take a lot of luggage. Most flyers today take a carry-on bag, which is free on most airlines. (I know Allegiant charges even for a carry-on bag.) Keep in mind that on some flights overhead bins can fill up quickly and then you may be forced to check your bag. However, with all the fees that airlines charge, for the first time in many decades, airlines are turning a profit. For so many years prior, airlines were operating in the red and if they had not flown freight and mail, they would have been in worse shape with some even going bankrupt.

I flew for United for almost 34 years with no accidents, incidents or "events." U.S. Airlines have not had a fatal air crash on a commercial jet since 2001 when the American Airlines jet went down over Brooklyn due to pilot error. (You can't fly without a tail.) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Airlines_Flight_587

I did lose a very dear friend during 9-1-1. Jason Dahl, who was based in Denver, was my instructor while updating my skills on the B-767 in the simulators. Jason was just a super person. An all American boy type that was pro active in his community and never said NO to anyone that asked for help. The biggest tragedy was that his beautiful wife also died just a few years later from cancer. I have always maintained that stress is or may be a cause for this dreaded disease.
 
Where are these reasonably priced trains? I wanted to make a train trip really bad, but it was a lot more expensive than flying. Maybe I'm just ignorant about how to find cheap train trips. I wanted to take a long train trip as a vacation & it was so expensive I could not afford it. Seems like it would be so fun.
 
I've never paid for a meal on a plane, but then I don't fly domestic in the US. The budget airlines I've taken for short trips to London or the continent are all short enough not to want a meal. The longest flight I've taken without being served food that was included in the fare was Easyjet from London to Morocco. I think it was 3 or 4 hours. So I brought a snack.

I can't travel with just a carry on. Besides mostly going on long trips and needing a bigger bag, you can't take a lot of liquids. So on the flight to Morocco I had to pay to check a bag. People said just buy the toiletries I needed when I got there. Nope. I need nonperfumed toileries because I'm allergic, also need a big bottle of eye wash. And when you don't speak the language how can you find these things in the stores?
 
BlunderWoman said:
Where are these reasonably priced trains? I wanted to make a train trip really bad, but it was a lot more expensive than flying. Maybe I'm just ignorant about how to find cheap train trips. I wanted to take a long train trip as a vacation & it was so expensive I could not afford it. Seems like it would be so fun.
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I love long train trips. But they aren't cheap here either. We've lucked out a few times and gotten a reasonable ticket to London with our senior railcard and upgraded to first class for a small fee. Otherwise, our train trips are within Scotland when we don't want to ride the free bus.
 
BlunderWoman said:
Where are these reasonably priced trains? I wanted to make a train trip really bad, but it was a lot more expensive than flying. Maybe I'm just ignorant about how to find cheap train trips. I wanted to take a long train trip as a vacation & it was so expensive I could not afford it. Seems like it would be so fun.
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Upfront - I don't like to fly, just a personal thing nothing against air travel just have a phobia against it. Sorry, I'm also very claustrophobic have been since my youth. refuse to have an MRI done (once was enough!). I do love to drive & have been in every state of the continental US excluding ND. Seen many things that I can talk about, others who fly alot can't, unless it about where to eat or where to stay. Life has been an adventure for me & the wife. She navigates I drive, we've done unique things & stopped at interesting places along the way, no itinerary needed.

As for rail travel, I'm very new at it. I only started 2 days ago researching, I ended up on Amtak they have a trip planner. Put in your starting point, dates, age, destination,,,etc. Up comes a sample chart showing economy & better along with a comparable cost for air travel, shows routes. I can only use their figures & air travel was about the same (rail each way < $130, air each way ($102-$117)but no fees were included). Fees can add 25-30% more to the price. So rail is cheaper but longer for the one trip I was interested in. Oregon > Las Vegas in October. I checked for fees, couldn't find any reference. Meals in the club car, you must be able to sleep upright (I've never had that problem). But you are definitely more mobile. It will work for me I hope. I can bring my laptop with a supply of DVD's to watch along the way, read, talk whatever to pass the time.
 

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