Depending on how far away you’re planning to go for your next trip, you might be having an internal battle between flying or driving. While flying can sometimes be more expensive, planes also help you avoid all the hazards that come with road travel, like having to deal with all the other drivers on the road.
So if you’ve been going back and forth between driving or flying, here are three reasons why you might want to seriously consider flying rather than driving for your next trip.
Save Time
One of the biggest complaints people have about flying is all the time they spend waiting around at the airport. First, you have to get there with enough time to make it through security and then board your flight. And after you land, if you checked any baggage, you now have to wait for that at baggage claim as well.
But while this might feel like a lot of wasted time, Melanie Pinola, a contributor to LifeHacker.com, shares that if your destination is more than four hours away in the car, it’s often very worth it to simply take a plane. Not only can it save you time in the car, but it could also potentially save you money when you factor in things like gas and lodging in the event that you’d have to break the trip up into multiple days.
Increase Your Safety
While it seems like far more people have a fear of flying than they do of being in a car, air travel is actually much safer than road travel. Especially when you factor in hazards like drunk driving, drowsy driving, inclement weather, and more, it makes sense that driving a car is just inherently more dangerous as far as car or truck accidents go.
In fact, Aurelio Locsin, a contributor to USA Today, shares that there are more than five million car accidents each year as compared to about 20 airplane accidents each year. Granted, when you do hear about an airplane accident, they usually do have more trauma and a higher number of casualties involved. But when you look strictly at the numbers, it’s easy to see that flying is much safer statistically.
Relax When You’re In Transit
If you choose to drive to your destination rather than fly, you’ve got to be determined to give the road your complete and undivided attention the entire time you’re behind the wheel. But when you’re a passenger on an airplane, you can relax while you travel.
For those that have a hard time relaxing when they’re flying, Wendy Rose Gould, a contributor to NBC News, recommends that you do things like focus on your breathing, distract yourself, or learn how to replace your anxious thoughts with thoughts based more firmly in facts.
If you can’t decide whether you should drive or fly for your next trip, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you see all the benefits flying has to offer.
