Due to my new job, I will commute weekly from GNV (Gainesville, FL) to ATL to spend weekends with my family. The only direct flight is Delta and they charge $386 for round trip. However, the round trip ticket from GNV to NYC via ATL is only $260. My question is: can I buy the ticket and only use the first half part of the flights? Thanks. Also, are there ways to get better fare for commuters? Thanks.

Welcome to FT!

The question of using only part of a cheap ticket instead of all of an expensive one has been discussed at length here. Bottom line is that, as soon as you miss a leg, the rest of the ticket will be cancelled. Some people have reported getting exceptions in unusual circumstances with advance explanation and permission, but this is rare. Many others have reported not being able to.

So, if a round trip ticket is less than half the cost of a one-way, you can use the first part and toss the second - if you don't do it too often with the same airline. There are reports of airlines coming after people who do this a lot, or after travel agents who sell a lot of tickets that end up being used this way, to collect the fare difference they thought they had saved.

The logic, or illogic, of this airline policy has also been debated here ad infinitum.

The name for what you are referring to is "hidden city" ticketing. Do a search and you will find lots about it.

Just drive if you want any semblance of reliability in the commute. ASA is a mess with their GNV service and the 5ish hour drive isn't quite as miserable as sitting in ATL or GNV and wondering if a plane will ever show up.

Agree. The airports are only 330 miles apart. In today's environment it probably makes more sense to just drive I-75.

If the never ending construction on I-75 is still happening, I would beg to differ about it being easier to drive. Cheaper, sure - but easier and faster, I don't think so. I've sat at a dead standstill on I-75 north of Valdosta and Warner Robbins several times. Also, be careful if you have a lead foot. GA Troopers are notorious for handing out speeding tickets like candy. Toss in a construction zone and it's an it will cost you more than airfare if you get busted.

GNV is a very easy airport to fly in and out of. That used to be my home base 4 years ago and I never had any reliability issues, but then again that was before the Delta/NW merger, and I was strictly flying NW. I loved the fact that security was a breeze and once I deplaned I could be at my car in under 5 minutes.

Thanks for all the suggestion. Last time I drove it took me 5:20 door-to-door without any delay on I-75. I did get lucky as I was following a car which was speeding and got caught by the GA police.

Flights will take me 3:30 theoretically if I calculate correctly (1 hour to ATL, 40 min at airport, 1:20 flight, 20 min from GNV to my apt). So it will save me 2 hour each way with an additional expense of $450 (ticket plus rental car at ATL and parking at GNV). I haven't flown yet but I will try to see whether it will actually save me time and energy.