If this holiday season you're feeling the need to rub elbows with strangers and fly the friendly skies, you are likely to have three major issues - time, money and baggage.
For today’s topic: air travel. It’s way better than flyingÑwaitÑdriving. Right? [Laughs]
If this holiday season, you’re feeling the need to rub elbows with strangers and fly the friendly skies, you’re most likely to have three major issues: time, money and baggage [three fingers up].
[Smile]
No, not that kind of baggage! It’s not emotional, it’s… it’s carry-on! Yeah, never mind… [wave]
So let’s say I want to fly from San Diego to Arizona this Christmas. Why not? People go to Arizona for Christmas. I really don’t have any family there, I’m just gonna go unload some baggage.
[Smile]
A year ago, checked baggage was free, but with most carriers nowadays, it’ll cost you something extra.
Fees. BLECK!
It didn’t used to be that way, but when gas prices went up, so did the fees… cause airlines wanted more money. Just to warn you: there are not only new fees for checked bags, but there are dramatically increased ones for oversized and overweight bags. Unless you’re taking a bike or a surfboard, or something like that, you don’t really have to worry about oversized baggage; most bags are made in the appropriate size.
For most airlines, they’re not oversized unless they add up to more than 62 inches: length [rightward hand motion], width [upward hand motion], height [backwards-ish hand motion]
I should have done that the other way… Length… length… L-length, width, height [Various hand motions of length width height] Length, width, height: there you go. That doesn’t really… [waves] Forget it.
But let’s say one of your bags is really overweight, like you went nuts and you felt like you had to bring your weight-lifting equipment with you. Here’s a neat trick: just put some of your heavy stuff in your carry on!… if it fits… come on, you can do it!
Cause they don’t check the weight of the carry on. Just be careful where you set it down.
[Noise from setting down bag]… Oops.
Now that we’ve covered most of your baggage issues [smile and nod], it’s time to talk about time and money, and we’ll do those together.
So, back to planning my little jaunt to Phoenix: should I drive, or should I fly? I mean… save time and spend money, or spend time and save money? And which one does which?
A quick check of the map shows that driving is about 358 miles, assuming my car gets 18 miles to the gallon, cause it’s an SUV, and that gas cost on average is 3 dollars a gallon and I drive at an average rate of 65 miles an hour, that means the trip will take 5.5 hours and cost $59.67.
Now, if I make that same trip flying, it’s only 299 miles of travel. The best deal we could find was $59.50, after taxes and fees, and if it takes a half-hour to get to the airport, and you have to be there two hours early and the flight takes two hours and five minutes, and it takes twenty minutes to de-plane and get you where you’re going on the other end… basically it’s a 4 hour and 55 minute trip.
So, in a car it costs about 17 cents more, and takes about a half-hour longer to drive. Now there are a ton of other factors we haven’t included. Like: the wear and tear on a car, the likelihood of accidents, extra baggage fees, layovers, and the cost of renting a vehicle if you fly.
The whole point, for all you people who want to flame us in the comments, was just to give you a basic idea.
Say it with me: Terms of use. Go watch the video.
We set up a little calculator on our website to help you figure out which way you should travel on your next trip.
There are so many factors, I don’t think we can draw any specific conclusions, but for me, the general rule of thumb is this: under 400 miles usually means driving, 400-800 could go either way, and more than 800 usually means flying. With all of my baggage.
[Smile]
And we didn’t even get a chance to bring up the idea of carpooling or traveling with multiple people. The magic number seems to be three, though.
Huh. Imagine that.
When you’re traveling in a group that size, it’s almost always cheaper to drive… unless you go to Hawaii, or New Zealand, or China.
Have a seat, let’s talk about your baggage. Would you say you’re more of a hard-sided or a soft-sided person. I mean, it really makes a difference.
I’m soft sided. [Wink]
Transcribed by: Victoria G.
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27 Comments
Johnb300m
speaking of baggage.....are you a person with wheels and a pop-out handle?basil
I'd like to know if others feel aggrieved as I do by ridiculous airport 'excess baggage' charges. We recently returned to Ireland from visiting our daughter in Montreal where we'd acquired a couple of extra items of clothing and shoes only to be told by our low-cost carrier from the UK that between us, we were now 17 lbs over-weight. This amounted to 17 X 10 = £170 in penalties. I weigh 70 kilos and Colleen tips the scale at 55 kilos yet the gentleman in front of us at the check-in who must have weighed at least 120 kilos ... lots morelegoclone
I live in Wi, to go to phoenix it would take 5 days.OxymoronX
This the first video i have ever seen on your show after that it took me all 3 days to watch the rest and now I'm a loyal disciple of WYOTK!!! Keep it coming guys don't leave me feaning for more "Simply Outrageous" (Oxymoron) I ought to know things!!!Nospinplease
hahaha! your soft sided, that's cute. I just like to fly, it seems like time passes faster.steph {207}
Ya, flying is pretty expensive, but I know that if you plan on going to disney world, they always have deals. Like always. I've heard christmas is amazing there too. I'd like to go for christmas some day, I've always only been there in the summer. My compliments as always ... moreSoul Sister [22]
Ah! I'm SO excited about the travel calculator. I've always wondered about stuff like that, and with me being a college student that's perfect for the road trips I tend to go on. PS-I wish I was soft-sided! ;)marc
Gah! I was trying to use your calculator for Iowa to Florida.. and it kept saying that driving would take 9 hours less then flying... until I realized that time to the airport needed to be inputed at 0.25 for 15 minutes. Anyways, great video.pkw
Other concern: My mommy won't fly out to visit us b/c she's afraid they won't let her bring her 10k (estimated) perscriptions :)pkw
Our rule of thumb: it's cheaper to drive. Family of 6x$?.?? is usually about the price of 2 tickets, plus we have transport when we get there. So we save a ton. Besides, we've done the Phx to San Diego drive, and I'd rather drive. I ... moredesignertoxophilite[22] [22]
The flame responsibly comes from the open minded week back in the end of april. http://www.whatyououghttoknow.com/show/2008/04/28/an-open-mind/ Hope that helpskichkinet
which episode is it that explains the "flame responsibly" thing? i dont think i quite get it.Curtis [22]
Excellent calculations for comparing driving to flying. My 9 hour trip to Tennessee each summer has always been better for driving based on that calculation. I had a little trouble following your calculations, though, cuz I kept staring at the darn car and plane zooming around. Great video....again.Tae
I'll come with you, Kel!Kel [22]
I'm gonna drive to New Zealand next week... I need two more people to make it cost-effective. Any takers? There are perks to having checked luggage charges: the flights tend to be cheaper, so if you don't have any baggage to check, you don't have to pay. And in general, long-haul ... moregraceofbass [22]
Wow, I had no idea airlines were now charging for checked baggage. That's ridiculous. I guess I'm lucky that my family really want my husband and I to visit them, they're paying for the flights.Rob B
gas is a $1.80....Jennifer McKenzie
Okay, Brett, the wink at the end sort of creeped me out. And I'm not even going to touch the whole "soft" vs. "hard" thing. I'd rather drive. Are you trying to say I have baggage? Dude! YOu don't even KNOW me. I love this video. ... moreCrazyDave
two words...choo-choo! wait, isn't that one word? However, I tend to always fly when I visit family with my family (yea, think THAT through), because two days in a car with a 1 year old is worse than the horrific agony of air travel... ...can't wait until she's two... :)Scott
Don't forget the scenery factor. If the scenery is good a long drive seems shorter. If it is bad . . . fly. Even the most monotonous landscapes are more interesting from the air.ali-gator [22]
I think i'd rather driveMeandering {207}
Its been about a year since I flew and that was a business trip. However, I was not in business class I was in coach. Anyway, I haven't flown for personal reasons in 2 years. Anyway, the only traveling I will do is visiting my brother that ... moreDrecon [22]
Air travel: it's much better than flying!Ingrid [22]
good show. The magic number of three is especially true when you drive to San Francisco.. (those stupid carpool lanes!) I'm going on a trip to Berlin to celebrate the new year with me friend. We are still trying to decide which way to go. The cheapest is deffinately driving, only problem that winter tired are compulsory when it snows. And my friend doesn't have those. She wants to take the gamble, but if we are there and it starts snowing we are pretty much screwed. And if it snows before we even want to go we even have a ... lots moreFrootLoopColorSorter [22]
LOL @ carry on baggage Brett ;-p. Flights are crazy right now...found a flight for 5 euros, but it was going to be about 135 euros for my suitcases (not kidding!). Found another one that was $122 for an international flight, but the fuel surcharge was about $350 - ... moreSnowmanincave [22]
Now, could you do us the ever-so-kind favour of a list of reasonably trustworthy and cost-effective companies? $1000 tickets are not my friend, but neither are jets-gone-glider.mjb3190
you are amazingly funny. I love you random short jokes. like when u jump really close to the camera and smile for a split second. You have the perfect blend of comedy and information. Keep up the excellent my good sir! p.s. woot first comment