4 Reasons Why Road Trips are Better than Flying

If you’re thinking about going on a trip with your loved ones, one of the first decisions you’ll need to make is how to get there. While this decision used to be made simply by comparing costs of both methods of transportation, today the decision can be a lot harder. This is especially true if you’re traveling with elderly relatives.

In our opinion, driving is almost always a better choice than flying. Here are just a few of the reasons why.

Driving is Cheaper

If you have to transport more than one person, it’s very likely that it will be cheaper to drive than to buy multiple plane tickets. The cost of driving is directly related to how much gas you’ll use; if you’re taking a car, it costs about the same amount to transport one person as it does five people. If you’re buying plane tickets, however, you’ll have to buy them for every person in your travel party.

Plane tickets also mean paying for baggage fees (instead of just throwing your stuff in the back) and buying overpriced airport snacks and drinks. Once you get to your destination, you’ll have to rent a car in order to get around or rely on expensive cabs and ride-sharing services. You’ll probably also have to figure in the cost of parking at the airport while you’re gone.

If you’re traveling with people who need special accommodations, odds are good that the airline will require you to pay extra. For example, while they may offer free assistance at each layover, multiple reports have come out showing that the “assistance” is frequently delayed, and in some cases has caused thousands of dollars of damage to medical equipment such as wheelchairs. OF course, even getting things like extra legroom can cost hundreds of dollars in additional fees as well.

You Can Choose Your Breaks

When you fly, you’re traveling at the pace that the airlines set. Odds are you’ll need to leave very early or very late in order to get the best rates on tickets, and then your schedule for the rest of the day will be determined by the airline. If you need to get and walk around, you’ll have to check with a flight attendant first. You’ll also have to run between gates for short layovers and sit for hours on end in airport terminals for long layovers.

With a car trip, you can choose when to take a break and when to drive. You’ll get to choose how often you want to stop and when. You can choose what time to start your trip and how long you want it to take. If you feel like you need to deviate from the plan along the way, you have the freedom to do it; you can always change your mind when you travel by car.

Most importantly, you’ll have the ability to set the pace of your trip. If you want extra time to explore or if you just need to get to your destination faster, you’ll have the ability to choose. If you’re traveling with elderly relatives who may need more time or help at restrooms or restaurants, you’ll be able to take the time you need to help them, rather than trying to rush them through.

Have Fun on the Journey

Is there anything more miserable than air travel? Between waking up early, wrestling your bags through the airport, going through security, waiting for your flights, being squished into an ever-shrinking seat, and eating terrible food, there just isn’t anything fun about getting to fly anymore. Let’s face it, the era of flying being the best part of a trip is long gone.

With a road trip, you can control when and where you’re going. You’ll have the ability to explore places you’ve never been to along the way, spending time and building memories with the people you love. You can choose when and where to eat. Even if you don’t have a lot of time to explore, you’ll be able to stretch out in your car, play your favorite music, and spend time talking and laughing with your friends or family without worrying about bothering the people in the seat next to you.

You Won’t Get Stuck

If your flight is delayed or canceled, you’ll be stuck in long lines trying to figure out how to get home. Unfortunately, there has been a sharp increase in the number of people who have become stranded while traveling by air. Airlines have decreased the number of available staff, causing there to be fewer flights with more passengers. In the event that a flight is delayed or cancelled, it can take hours or even days to get a reservation on a new flight.

When weather starts to get bad, it’s possible to be stuck in the airport for multiple days. Airlines have become experts at figuring out how to get out of paying for meals and hotel accommodations while a family waits. Often, delays mean that a family is stuck in the airport terminal.

With a road trip, the likelihood of getting stuck is much less. While there might be some traffic delays, there are now a number of apps that can help to route you around traffic jams and accidents. If you do get delayed, you have the ability to pull off the road and eat a meal or explore the local area.

When you’re traveling with elderly relatives, a delay at the airport isn’t just annoying, it can be dangerous. While healthy people are probably able to sleep on the floor of an airport terminal, it’s unlikely that an elderly person could do so for any length of time. Being unable to leave the airport means that it will be difficult to get access to needed medications or healthy foods.

Transportation You Can Trust

Around the Sound is Puget Sound’s foremost transportation service for long distance transportation, serving those with special needs. We provide long distance transportation to individuals with limited mobility to include people in wheelchairs, scooters, gurneys and to people with memory issues. We also serve customers seeking point-to-point driver services in Washington, Idaho, Montana, and Oregon. However, don’t be afraid to ask for different destination points as we may be able to accommodate your needs, too. Around the Sound drivers have a superior track record for on time performance, safety, and passenger satisfaction. Our vehicles are designed to accommodate any and all unique needs you may have. Contact us today for more information!

Categorised in: blog, road trips

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