Later this year, I plan to travel to Oman from the UAE. I'll be in both Dubai and Abu Dhabi, so I could leave from either. To get to Muscat, am I better off going by land or air? I've heard that locals can just drive their cars across the border, but I'm also seen reports that it is difficult for foreigners to rent a car and do this (I'm an American). The bus trip would seem a bit long, and I've seen cheap airfares on Skyscanner (but haven't checked whether they include any bags).

While in Oman, I am also interested in visiting Salalah. But that seems like a loooong drive from Muscat, and the airfares don't seem cheap.

BTW, has anyone redeemed miles for any of these flights? Are there any good redemption deals, or is it just better to shop for airfares?