Is it Cheaper to Drive or Fly?

Driving costs more than the price of gas. There is a bevy of other expenses to keep in mind. Add up all the following costs to get the real cost of driving.

Gas

If you’ve been to the pump recently, it’s no surprise to you that the price of gas is rising. Here are the average prices nationwide in January and early February.

The price varies not only based on the type of gas you’re getting but also your location. Prices tend to be higher on the West Coast and in Florida and the Northeast, according to AAA.¹

>> Learn More: Can a more expensive, more fuel-efficient vehicle save money?

Hotel

If your road trip takes more than a day, you may need to pay for lodging for yourself and your passengers. Hotel rates vary widely based on the season and date.

Here are the states that had the highest average daily hotel rates in January.

On the flip side, here is where you would’ve found the cheapest hotels.

As you can see, Hawaii had the highest hotel rates with an average cost of $354.23 per night while Oklahoma’s average rates were under $80, making lodging there significantly less expensive. This data comes from STR, which tracks average hotel costs across the country. Nationwide, for example, the average daily rate was $140.16 for the week of Jan. 16-21, 2023.²

Food

When driving long routes, you may have to purchase food along the way at expensive rest stops, while flights may offer some food for free and some for purchase. Specifics vary by airline.

Tolls

Every state in the U.S. has tolls except:

• Arizona
• Arkansas
• Connecticut
• Hawaii
• Idaho
• Iowa
• Mississippi
• Montana
• Nevada
• New Mexico
• North Dakota
• South Dakota
• Tennessee
• Washington, D.C.
• Wisconsin
• Wyoming

The state of Florida has the most tolls, followed by Oklahoma, New York and Pennsylvania. The Keystone state wins (and drivers lose) in another category, however. The Pennsylvania Turnpike is the most expensive toll road not only in the U.S. but in the entire world.³ Calculate toll costs for your trip here: https://tollguru.com/toll-calculator.

Car Maintenance

Driving long distances will put wear and tear on your car, which may require additional maintenance. In 2020, the average cost of maintenance was 96 cents per mile, including parts and labor, according to AAA.

Time

Typically, driving will take longer than flying. For example, driving from Times Square in the heart of New York City to Orlando, Florida’s Disney World will take you about 16 hours via Interstate 95 or under three hours on a flight. Even with the time spent at the airport factored in, flying is quicker, especially if you’re part of a time-saving security program like TSA PreCheck.

Also, consider the opportunity cost of your time. If you make more money in an hour than you’d spend on a flight, flying might make more sense. For example, if you make $50 an hour and a two-hour flight costs $80 vs. a 12-hour drive, flying could save you money, assuming you’re using the saved hours to work.

Rental Car

Maybe you don’t have your own car or maybe you’re part of a pay-per-mile car insurance program that charges a lot for long road trips. If you have to rent a vehicle for your trip, that’ll affect the cost of travel. The exact pricing will depend on:

• Overall cost vs. base rate, such as fees and taxes
• Location
• Vehicle size
• Insurance
• Discounts/memberships
• Prepaying vs. paying later (you can save by paying for your rental car in advance)
• Supply and demand (rental cars cost more when more people want to rent cars and vice versa)⁴

Insurance Abroad

If you’re driving across borders from the U.S., such as to either Canada or Mexico, will your U.S. car insurance be sufficient? If you’re driving to Canada, the answer is yes as long as you’re in Canada as a tourist for less than six months. However, U.S. car insurance doesn’t protect you in Mexico unless you have Mexico coverage as an add-on to your policy. The following companies offer car insurance for Mexico:

• Allstate
• American Family (partners with a contracted vendor, Grupo Nacional Provincial, El Aguila Compañia de Seguros)
• Direct Auto
• GEICO
• Liberty Mutual
• Progressive

The cost of this add-on coverage will differ by provider, so if you’re driving to Mexico, ask your insurance agent about rates beforehand.

Just as driving costs more than the price of gas, flying costs more than just airfare — as anyone who has ever tried to get Wi-Fi on a plane knows all too well. Be sure to do your research of the following costs and add them together to get the true cost of flying.

Airfare

Your airfare is the largest cost of flying, but prices will vary significantly based on your departure airport and destination. Domestic flights in the third quarter of 2022 ranged from only $86 at the San Bernardino airport in California up to $1,733 from the airport in Aniak, Arkansas, both adjusted for inflation. The average ticket price nationwide for Q3 2022 was $484, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics.⁵

You should drive if:

• You dislike airports, crowds and waiting in line
• You fear flying
• You want to make stops along the way
• You prefer driving
• You will need a car at your destination
• The driving time fits within your vacation time
• It’s cheaper than flying
• You’re going on a short trip with multiple people, as it’ll have less of an environmental impact
• You want to avoid contact with strangers

You should fly if:

• You prefer flying
• You don’t have much vacation time
• Flying costs within your budget and you find cheap flights
• You need to get somewhere fast

• Personal preferences: If long drives make your back hurt or flights make your ears pop, take that into consideration along with the costs.
• How far off is your trip: Flying is much cheaper if you pay one to six months before your departure date. But for last-minute travel, driving will almost always be cheaper.
• Number of people traveling: The more people you have, the more driving could make sense over flying.
• Ages of people traveling: Seniors or children may have difficulty on flights or long car rides. Additionally, on a plane, you may have to pay a fee for a child or to sit next to a stranger’s kid.
• Stops along the way: If you want to make stops so you enjoy the journey, not just the destination, driving is a better option than flying.
• Car quality: Can your car handle a long road trip? Get it inspected to see before you hit the road.
• Traveling with pets: Some airlines charge extra to fly with pets, while some don’t allow animals at all. If you choose to drive, learn how to drive with dogs safely.
• Car insurance: You may want to update your car insurance before a big trip, adding collision coverage in case you cause a car accident, comprehensive coverage to protect you if your car is vandalized or stolen or roadside assistance if something else goes wrong, to name a few options.
• Risk: In terms of risk, flying is the safest form of long-distance transportation. In 2018, the fatality rate was one per 4.2 million flights.⁸ In comparison, there are 1.34 deaths per 100 million miles traveled or 11.7 deaths per 100,000 people.⁹ Although a fear of flying is much more common than a fear of driving, flying is much safer, according to the data.
• Diseases: There’s debate among public health experts surrounding disease transmission rates for driving versus flying. Some believe that driving is safer, as you’re only with the other passengers of the car, compared to flying, where you’re with dozens of people. However, particularly with the transmission of COVID-19, traveling can be very safe on planes due to their air recirculation and filtration systems. Additionally, with driving, you may make more stops at public rest stops, gas stations, restaurants and hotels, areas where you’ll have a lot of contact with others. Wearing a mask and washing your hands frequently during either transportation method will lower the risk of infection, but overall, you’ll have more control of the situation in a vehicle compared to a plane.¹⁰
• Environmental impact: For the typical car, vehicles emit 4.6 metric tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) per year. In comparison, a round-trip flight from New York, New York, to Los Angeles, California, emits 0.62 tons of CO2 — 14 percent of your car’s annual emissions for a single flight. In other words, driving cross-country saves 1.26 tons of CO2. Driving becomes even more environmentally friendly when you have a hybrid or electric car, multiple passengers and a trip that’s anywhere from 300 to 500 miles long. And unlike driving, in addition to CO2, flying also produces sulfur and nitrogen oxides, hydrocarbons, soot particles and emissions during takeoff and landing. If you must fly, it’s better to take one long flight rather than multiple short flights to reduce emissions during takeoff and landing.

1. Plan your route: Planning the best route isn’t just about determining the shortest way from point A to B. You’ll want to avoid construction zones and congested areas, as you can minimize fuel efficiency with less stop-and-go. Apps like Waze can help identify the ideal route with these considerations in mind.
2. Inflate your tires properly: To maximize your gas mileage, make sure your tires are inflated properly before you go.
3. Remove excess weight: Although driving can save you money over flying if you have multiple bags, the more weight on your car, the more gas it uses.
4. Don’t cool or heat your vehicle before driving: It’s not necessary to heat or cool your car before hitting the road. You’ll only waste fuel.
5. Minimize AC usage at slower speeds: Roll down your windows instead of using the air conditioner.
6. Roll your windows up on highways: However, if you’re driving on a highway, roll up your windows, as wind resistance creates drag, forcing vehicles to use more energy.
7. Drive at steady speeds: Try to avoid quick accelerations or decelerations, which use more fuel. Rather, drive steadily between 50 and 65 mph, typically.
8. Know when to use cruise control: Cruise control is best for flat highways. You shouldn’t use it on hills or mountains, as it wastes gas by accelerating uphill. Instead, decrease your speed as you go uphill, then slowly accelerate as you go down.
9. Avoid sudden brakes: Similar to avoiding speeding, avoid hard brakes to save gas.
10. Buy regular gas: If your car can accept it, buy regular gas instead of diesel or premium.
11. Compare gas prices: Apps like GasBuddy can help you find the lowest per-gallon rates.
12. Take advantage of discount opportunities: Do you have a credit card with a particular gas company? Are you part of a rewards or loyalty program that can get you discounts on gas? Remember these perks when you’re on your road trip.
13. Buy gas on Mondays: Gas is cheapest on Mondays and most expensive on Thursdays.
14. Pack snacks: Rather than having to buy food at rest stops, pack food beforehand and store it in a cooler.
15. Combine trips: A single long, multipurpose trip will use half the amount of gas as shorter trips, even if they cover the same distance.
16. Use eco-feedback: Programs like Honda Eco Assist and Nissan ECO Pedal improve fuel economy by 7 percent on average, according to research from the University of California Davis. These programs teach you how to improve your driving habits to save money on fuel.

Of course, planes and cars aren’t the only travel options. Also, consider the following:

• Public transportation, such as buses and trains
• Boats
• Motorcycles
• Bicycles

Most of the time, driving is a cheaper option than flying, but you can run into unexpected costs along the way, especially if you get into an at-fault accident. That’s why your best bet, if you choose to drive, is to make sure your car insurance is sufficient. Paying more now could save you thousands later.