So how many are driving now instead of flying?
 

Just curious if anyone else is going to make the switch, as I am contemplating.

On my business trips to the US (from Japan) I typically visit several cities in one trip and fly from city to city. On my last trip, for example, I visited Chicago, Minneapolis, Fort Worth, and Omaha.

Because of all the new security hassles, and because I refuse to expose my baggage to theft and damage by checking it, I am seriously leaning toward driving on all of the domestic legs of my trips. This could be impractical for my past travel patterns (traveling from one coast to the other, for example, or on a mid-con flight of 1200 miles), but if I just rearrange my travel a bit I think I could pull it off. Say I hit all my Midwestern clients in one trip: I could fly from Japan into ORD and then drive from there to MSP, and there to OMA, and then from there to DFW (and then fly DFW to Japan). Then on my next trip I hit my east coast clients and drive from client to client. I figure each drive will be around 6 to 10 hours, which should be doable. As long as I rent a car with a navigation system and take my cell phone with me, I figure I'll be fine.

Just think of all the advantages of driving:

1. Travel on your own schedule, without worrying about missing your flight or allowing enough time for check-in and security.

2. No worries about obnoxious passengers like noisy children, grossly overweight seatmates, etc.

3. No boarding anxiety ("Will I find space for my carry-on?")

4. No more hassles from the incompetent TSA

5. No more dealing with ridiculous airfare policies, change fees, nonrefundable tickets, etc.

6. Travel comfortably in your own private vehicle, in peace and quiet.

I really think I may make the switch. I already avoid flying intra-Europe on all my European visits (taking the train instead), because I hate the European airlines' draconian restrictions on carry-on luggage.

Of course I still have my Japan-US flights to deal with. But if those are the only flights I have to take, then I will just FedEx my toiletries to the US once and then carry them with me (in a car) from city to city. That way I won't get hassled about them on each leg of my trip as I would if I were flying.

Is anyone else contemplating driving instead of flying?

Chalk me as one seriously contemplating it...for all the reasons you cited, although my circumstances are a little different.

I'm a consultant with a single customer in the Twin Cities who I visit every week, and between the TSA nonsense and also the possible NWA labor nonsense, I'm ready to get out of the skies. In fact, I drove up to the Twin Cities the weekend after the 8/10 fiasco instead of flying as usual, and I'm in the middle of a 2-week stay via rental car.

I'm actively in the process of working on securing a corporate apartment in the Twin Cities (if I can get a longer-term contract renewal from my customer), so that I can leave my "stuff" over the weekend and travel ultra-light for when I do travel home to maintain my household/marriage. And in this scenario I don't intend to fly home every weekend like I do now.

Do I like the idea of not seeing my family every weekend? No. But I like the idea of flying the "new sh*tty skies" even less, and for better or worse I make my living in a city other than where I live.

My possible "temporary relocation" has been driven solely by the events of 8/10. I firmly believe that a carry-on electronics ban is inevitable, despite the effect it would have on business travel overall, and like most business travelers, I will not check my laptop (my business lifeline) under any circumstances.

my new limit
 

flying vs. driving is now about 425 miles. The worst problem driving out on the American Great Plains is actually boredom (if you don't count the road food). I advise you to consider the weather when planning your trips as winter in the area you are considering can take most of the fun out of driving.

Saying that, I now agree that driving is a more comfortable way to travel when you consider how much time you have to wait in airports, baggage claim, etc.

Learn what you can about American motel chains and pick one that will give you the most benefits, points, miles, free breakfasts, etc. and suits your style. I'm getting very fond of Holiday Inn Express motels and the newest of the 'suites' motels such as Homewood (if you are going to be in one for more than one night).

I can do 425 miles in a day before my mind is so numb I have to stop.

I never thought I would get to this point, but I am considering driving to SAC for my upcoming meetings instead of flying. It will take me around 7 hours, but I lose most of the day for travel anyway since there are no direct flights.

The new rules and constant hassles of traveling have pushed me to cut back - unfortunately the clients that want overseas travel agreed to a doubling of rates for travel time, but my domestic air travel will go down an order of magnitude starting next month ^ ^ .

Something is definitely up in a broader sense, because twice this week I have been in IAH and it is the quietest it has been at these times of day for years. Right now if a weapon were fired down one of the terminal halls, the only thing that would be hit is either a security officer or a shoeshiner. Even though it is Wednesday, this is the same time I have been travelling for over half the time the past two years.

Either it is a remarkable coincidence (maybe just CO), or the airlines will be screaming for mercy :eek: in a month or two.

If I can drive it in 4.5 hr or less, then it is Lexus time.

MisterNice

Before 2001, I took the plane on any route no matter how short. I've flown Austin-Houston, Houston-Dallas and Dallas-Lubbock.

Before August 10, 2006, because of the security hassles (with a $10 fee just to rub salt in the wound), I would drive up to 750 miles. I've driven from Greenville, SC to Pennsylvania and to south Florida.

Now I have no limit on how far I will drive. In fact, I am writing this post from a La Quinta Inn in New Mexico. I drove 2,500 miles from my home to Arizona by way of Missouri (may as well visit my sister along the way :) ).

Despite the fact that I love the physical aspect of flying, driving is SO much better than flying commercial. I brought all 12 of my CD's but have listened to only four of them. Most of the time I admire the scenery, plot my legal strategy, or gab on the phone with my mother or my girlfriend (though the latter is usually at a rest stop because I don't like to talk on the phone and drive at the same time).

When I packed for this trip, rather than get out all the stuff I would like to take and then remove items one by one until it fits in my suitcase and carry-on, this time I took everything but the kitchen sink (and winter clothes since there's no chance of needing that). This is a three week trip, and I have around 20 pairs of underwear, socks, shirts, etc. I need not even bother with laundry!

I have all kinds of prohibited items with me -- water, cigarette lighter, boxcutter, toothpaste, pocketknife, shaving cream, handgun, deodorant, and live ammunition. I feel safer on this trip than I do flying with the nincompoops at the TSA "protecting" me.

I normally drink large amounts of water anyway, and when I drive, I drink even more water. Last Wednesday when I drove from South Carolina to Missouri (18 hours door-to-door!), I drank 8.5 liters of water. When I say that I am not going to board an airplane without a liter bottle of water with me, I am not kidding.

Unfortunately, I do have a couple of air trips already ticketed that I may as well use. I will defy the idiotic rules and bring my water with me anyway and see what happens.

On the one hand, I don't mind turboprops or RJs and am unfazed by the security changes, now that there is an elite security line at Dulles. Also, I don't own a car, find most rental car company policies/surcharges and employees vastly, vastly worse than their airline counterparts, and prefer not to spend two and a half hours to get from DCA to US 15 on a Friday evening (about 50 miles), not to mention an additional 4 to pass through garden spots like Harrisburg, Hazleton, Wilkes-Barre, Scranton, and Binghamton, in a Ford Focus fighting for the road with approximately every big rig truck in the eastern United States. It's even worth connecting in PHL.

At least, it was when a Fri/Sun WAS-ITH RT cost $220 in Sept 2004. For Sept 2006 no WAS-ITH even on a Wed/Tue RT is under about $450— and that is for BWI-DTW-ITH, 4½ hours each way. It isn't because of loads— a friend who flies US out of ITH for his import/export business reports most of those 30-odd Saab 340 seats are empty. But I also don't have 10 hours to spare for Greyhound, and what's the point of flying to SYR for $250 when I'll have to rent a car there anyway? So for now, driving beats flying, but resigning from my alumni organizations is also open for investigation.

I'm still doing what I always did. I fly the distances that make sense. I drive the others. Of course, since my trips are generally to 1 place for 6-14 days, I usually check a bag. So, I don't notice any big difference from say, 3 months ago.

Amazing. 9 posts, and not one single mention of gasoline price. ;)

Another alternative to flying
 

I live up near Boston and was checking alternatives to get to NYC for some meetings next month. BOS has the twin problem of TSA carryon restrictions and horrible highway access with the tunnel from the MassPike closed.
Anyway, I found a link to LimoLiners, they run upgraded motorcoach from downtown Boston to Manhattan in 4 hours for $79 each way. That includes wireless internet, video, power jacks, reclining seats, footrest, attendant for drinks/snacks.

I am going to try this soon, if it is as advertised no more shuttle to NY for me.

My take on your comment (others' opinions may vary):

(1) If travel is customer/employer paid, whether via car or air, then gas cost is largely irrelevant to many folks here (but not all, I acknowledge that).

(2) Regardless of whether employer- or traveler-paid, cost of gas is less of a consideration than how the air travel experience has offically gone to sh*t as a result of 8/10.

Really? From what I've reading on Flyertalk.com, most US airports' security lines have not gone longer. In fact, many reports that the wait is shorter than before. And unless you're flying out of the UK, the main difference between now and two weeks ago are no liquid, no gel, and everybody takes off their shoes at security (which many were already doing so voluntarily).

So, what exactly has changed for the road warrior? Is the OP a salesperson for shampoo, toothpaste, mouthwash or some other liquid/gel?

I just don't get it.

I, for one, don't like driving long distances. An hour and a half in a car bugs me, especially with aggressive and ignorant drivers. My luck usually involves traffic that makes a painful drive even more so.

I'll keep flying.

You're going to drive to Chicago, Minneapolis, Fort Worth, and Omaha? :rolleyes: