Road Trip vs. Flying: Which is Right for Your Family Holiday?

**Collaborative Post**

When you’re planning a family holiday, an exciting road trip, or your next dream vacation abroad, transport can be an important consideration. The way you get to and from your destination can influence the amount you spend on travel as well as the pleasantness of the experience. It can also have several other side effects that are worth considering which we will explore below.

Among the more popular kinds of transport are the family car and the passenger jet. These very different vehicles have contrasting advantages and disadvantages. But which is the better fit for your circumstances? Keep reading below as we compare the options to help you decide.

Cost Comparison: Fuel vs. Flights

Whichever kind of transport you look at, the cost of fuel will play a big role in determining the price. But when it comes to road transport, you might find these prices more difficult to predict, as the fuel you buy at the pump will vary in cost from day to day.

When you’re heading on a long road trip, there are other costs to consider, too, like maintenance. You might, for example, find that you have to buy tyres online before you go on a long trip.

Of course, air travel comes with its own set of costs. You can get the best price for a given flight by looking at price comparison websites. You’ll also want to factor in additional costs, like that of your airport parking or transfers to your accommodation.

Convenience and Flexibility

Road travel might seem like it has an obvious advantage when it comes to flexibility. When you’re on the road, you’ll be able to go for a stop whenever the need arises. When you travel by air, you’ll be hostage to a schedule set by the airline (and by external factors like the weather).

Road transport also has the advantage of covering the entire journey, right up to the very last mile. When you fly, you’ll need to move from the airport to a bus, taxi, or train. This also means no risk of losing your luggage of having to spend hour hanging around waiting for it to arrive either! 

Time and Travel Duration

Air travel tends to be a much quicker option, especially if you’re flying over long distances. But bear in mind that, whichever option you choose, you’re vulnerable to delays. In the case of road travel, you can minimise the likelihood of a delay by planning ahead and by relying on apps with real-time traffic updates, like Waze.

Travel time can be a major consideration if you’re taking young children or pets along for the ride, since they might not have quite the same level of patience as other kinds of passengers.

Environmental Impact

There can be little doubt that aviation produces a greater volume of per-passenger emissions than road transport per mile travelled. The level at which you pollute will be influenced by the kind of vehicle you’re driving and by your style of driving. Of course, the least polluting mode of transport overall is the train, so you might consider that as an alternative.

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