Travel by car to explore what lies between your home and your destination. The time on the road will be part of your vacation. Travel by air when you need to arrive at your destination fast.
Drive time varies by traffic, road conditions and weather. Air-travel time is affected by how far you live from the airport, check-in time, weather, the airline, your departure airport and how far the arrival airport is from your destination.
The 280-mile drive from Los Angeles to Las Vegas takes about 4 1/2 hours by car, assuming minimal traffic and refueling stops. United Airlines flights from Los Angeles International Airport to Las Vegas have a scheduled air time of one hour and 11 minutes. If you live 30 minutes from LAX and you arrive an hour before departure, you could arrive at Las Vegas two hours and forty-one minutes after leaving home.
Road closings can slow car travel. Check the Federal Highway Administration's traffic information website for closings along your route. Air travel can involve unpredictable and lengthy flight delays, so check your airline's and airport's on-time statistics at the Bureau of Transportation Statistics website. Arrive a day early for cruises and similar reservations.
Car travel allows you to pack items such as sports equipment, alcohol or a coffee pot. The airlines treat sports equipment as checked bags. Large items, such as kayaks, carry extra handling charges.
When traveling by car, budget for gas and parking. When traveling by air, budget for your ticket, baggage fees, airport parking fees, cab and shuttle fees and rental car fees.
