Is it cheaper to drive or fly and rent a car?

Once you've priced out your trip, if you compare the two options (driving vs. flying), you'll almost certainly see that renting a car for your full vacation costs less than paying for airfare. A travel calculator like BeFrugal.com might help you predict the cost of driving vs. flying for your trip.



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For the shortest trip, driving is slightly more economical than flying. But for the longer cross-country trip, flying is far cheaper. And keep in mind that this only considers solo drivers. Families or friends traveling in one vehicle can save money by driving, even on longer routes.

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Buying as flight+car hire at the same time (or actually within 24hrs) will normally provide a better total package price.

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That time-saving advantage is one of the biggest pros when it comes to choosing to fly. A trip that could take days of driving might only take hours in the air. Air travel can be more relaxing. You're free to close your eyes and snooze away the hours until you arrive at your final destination.

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There's a clear bias, but the argument doesn't sound very far-fetched. Brilliant claims that if you're traveling within 300 miles, driving can be quicker than flying if you factor in all the potential delays and hurdles that come with air travel.

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Airport car rental can also be more expensive than other rental locations. Because of the additional fees and taxes, rental rates at the airport can be higher than rates at off-airport locations. Additionally, some car rental companies may not have as many discounts or promotions available for airport car rental.

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Timing plays an important part. Specifically, plane tickets usually don't get cheaper closer to the departure date. Instead, flights tend to be the most inexpensive when you book between four months and three weeks before your departure date.

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3-4 hours sounds about right. Any longer, and you won't have enough time to enjoy being wherever you're going, so it would be better to stay overnight at that point. I once drove 2.5 hours to go to Lake Itasca for a few hours. That's probably close to my limit for one day.

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Car rentals cost more than they did a few years ago due to many different factors, but primarily because of supply chain issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic. As demand for rental cars fell, rental car companies sold segments of their fleets to stay in business during the lean times.

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No wear and tear on your personal vehicle A long road trip can be hard on your vehicle and can lead to future repairs. A rental is an easy and convenient alternative to using your personal car – especially if you don't think your car is reliable enough for a road trip!

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The cost of shipping a car by air ranges from $2,000 to $4,000. Unless it's an expensive exotic, the cost of shipping a car by air will usually far exceed the value of the vehicle itself. With the money you'll save on air freight, you could buy a new car and still have plenty left over.

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Some of the strengths of a car rental business include flexibility in pricing, a wide range of vehicle types to cater to different needs, and convenience. Meanwhile, some of its weaknesses include high competition, high operating costs, and high maintenance costs.

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Flying seems easier now, although still challenging. It's roughly the same kind of skill as driving a car and no one thinks back on learning to drive as particularly difficult. But it only takes 6-10 hours of driving time to get a car license, compared to 40-70 hours of flying time for a pilot's license.

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