Economics of long-distance travel
A comment on an AB thread recently reminded me that I needed to update my understanding of the economics of long-distance travel by plane vs car:
“In 1970, flying was twice as energy intensive as driving, but that has reversed. In 2012, the most recent year counted, driving one person one mile took 4,211 BTUs, while flying required just 2,033.
“The numbers for driving are based on the average fuel economy of all light-duty vehicles (that’s passenger cars, SUVs, pickups, and vans, which averaged 21.6 mpg), using data from the US DOT. Sivak counted only cars with internal combustions engines—no plug-in hybrids and EVs, which comprise less than 1 percent of the American fleet. The flight figures count major, large national, and large regional airlines, adjusted to account for freight and mail carried on passenger flights.”
My wife and I are currently on vacation and we flew from RI to Salt Lake City for the first leg of the trip. If we had driven, we would have used a Honda Fit, which gets ca. 32 mpg. So should we have driven instead? Setting aside the discomfort and hotel rooms and restaurant costs of a multi-day drive, it still doesn’t tip the balance in favor of driving:
“Any car that gets more than 44.7 mpg beats the plane. These days, that opens up some options. There are all the electrics, of course, and the plug-in hybrids, along with the Toyota Prius and hybrid versions of the Volkswagen Jetta and Honda Accord and Civic.”
We’re a long way from 44.7 mpg yet, so no, we made the better choice by flying.
Fly or drive?
“In 1970, flying was twice as energy intensive as driving, but that has reversed. In 2012, the most recent year counted, driving one person one mile took 4,211 BTUs, while flying required just 2,033.
“The numbers for driving are based on the average fuel economy of all light-duty vehicles (that’s passenger cars, SUVs, pickups, and vans, which averaged 21.6 mpg), using data from the US DOT. Sivak counted only cars with internal combustions engines—no plug-in hybrids and EVs, which comprise less than 1 percent of the American fleet. The flight figures count major, large national, and large regional airlines, adjusted to account for freight and mail carried on passenger flights.”
My wife and I are currently on vacation and we flew from RI to Salt Lake City for the first leg of the trip. If we had driven, we would have used a Honda Fit, which gets ca. 32 mpg. So should we have driven instead? Setting aside the discomfort and hotel rooms and restaurant costs of a multi-day drive, it still doesn’t tip the balance in favor of driving:
“Any car that gets more than 44.7 mpg beats the plane. These days, that opens up some options. There are all the electrics, of course, and the plug-in hybrids, along with the Toyota Prius and hybrid versions of the Volkswagen Jetta and Honda Accord and Civic.”
We’re a long way from 44.7 mpg yet, so no, we made the better choice by flying.
Fly or drive?
Joel:
As a child (4 of us), we piled into the family wagon and traveled. There were things to see along the roadside besides counting telephone poles. Fast forward a bunch of years, the five of us drove the family-urban and traveled the roads from Mad-City Wisconsin to Colorado to visit my brother-in-law who had too much money and married too many times. Took the northern route and saw the rolling plains once outside of Minnesota, the Bad Lands, antelope running off in the distance, passed by Wall Drug, etc.
We stopped somewhere in the Dakotas one day. In the morning we went to IHop and were warmly welcomed by the owner who I perceived to be Mormon. We fit the family image.
From there, we headed south looking at the mountains to our right. It was reminiscent of my parents doing similar for shorter distances with us. There was much to see each day which you miss when traveling by air. Being where you live, that trip by car would be long and lengthy.
I will probably drive my VW Passat out to Murphys CA to visit my brother this year. It gets 35-37 miles to the gallon. Stop off somewhere for the night east of LA and finish the trip the next day. Driving these days can be hazardous as there are quite a few jackasses on the road who believe faster is better and are in a hurry because they want to be. Not that it makes sense. Is 10 or 15 minutes later worth the cost or danger?
There will be a time coming soon when I will have to set aside the keys and do it by air too.
For all of our adult lives, my wife and I both worked and only took two-week vacations. We just decided that spending a third of that time getting to a destination and back cut into the enjoyment, so we flew to the destination and rented a car there.
I grew up the oldest of five. We drove and camped to save money. That experience cured me of long distance driving.
Of course, there are other considerations, such as cost and time. What with travel time to airport, the time needed to check in early and pass through security, flight time, transfer time, baggage pickup, rental car pickup, and travel time to final destination, a car often beats a plane for a 500 mile trip, hands down. And the cost of gas is far cheaper than plane fare, especially for two.
It would be interesting to calculate the breakeven distance, but I imagine it’s somewhere around 750 miles, the need for a hotel stay being decisive.
@JohnH
Total costs for flying depend on airline, route, when you book. If you drive, depends on hotel cost, restaurant cost, gas prices, car mileage.
That’s why the topic of my post had nothing to do with the total cost of travel, only the fuel consumption.
yes to the car people. i remember being told that flying was the most efficient way to travel except by bicycle. i also remember having a car that got 48mpg. actually i have had two. gas powered.
but i have also been told that flying is safer than driving. maybe “on average.” but i don’t drink. and i don’t drive angry or distracted. and it would take me many miles to lose fifteen minutes compared to the guy in a hurry. in any case when i drive i am mostly in control of whether or not i have an accident. that is not the case in commercial airplane. and i like my odds. besides, i don’t have to put up with airport security. long time ago…when hijacking was just becoming a fad, the guy at the ticket countered asked to see my drivers license. i said i wasn’t planning to fly the plane. just sit in the back. he refused to sell me a ticket. it has gotten worse since 911. but then, so has everything else.
You forgot to divide by two [people]
@Rick,
I didn’t forget anything. If we fly, the fuel is the same for one or both of us. If we dirve the fuel is the same for one or both of us.
i guess that’s why they said jet airliner was most efficient…per person-mile.