Travel Advice Needed

[sndt1319]

M4Carbine,

I have a one-way trip that I have to take. I've returned from OCONUS and now need to get home. I'm about 1,600 away. My question is do you think it is wiser to drive or fly?

Flying gets me home much quicker but then I'm going to have to travel through a hub city and interact with a bunch of people I can't control coming from all over. Airports are traditionally infection hot spots. I know planes have gotten a lot better about filtering air than before but still, it seems risky. Looking at ticket options I'd connect through either LA, Denver, Salt Lake, or Phoenix. I do not get to pick my flight for .gov reasons. It also means my family gets exposed to the airport which I'm not thrilled about. I'd assume that the low number of people traveling would offset some of the risks and that airports are doing more to clean but I'm not sure.

On the other hand, if I drive, I can control who I come in contact with to a much greater extent. I'm still going to have to stop for food and gas and possibly a hotel. I can use distancing and can clean as I go. No one else has to handle my things. It is a three-day drive realistically as I'm not sure when I'll be able to depart day one. I shouldn't have to worry about traffic but I will have to worry about getting pulled over 20 times a day being asked about why I'm on the road when all the states between me and home are on lockdown. It would just be officers doing their job but still. A benefit to this method is that no one else has to come to get me as I can drive straight to the house.

Thoughts? Am I overthinking this? I've just spent two weeks ensuring I don't have the COVID and I'm trying to limit my risk traveling home to my family.

[Straight Shooter]

Brother- just aint no way Id fly. Not for a funeral, or just any major reason.
Drive. Enjoy the scenery. Stop when & where you like. Dont expose the family. You can easily do 700 miles a day..so its a tad over two days. I drove OTR for years, 800 miles a stretch is very doable..two days. Yeah, youll be tired, but wont be exposed or have your family exposed. Get XM radio in the car & boogie on down the road. Whatever you decide- God bless you & be careful.

[yoni]

DRIVE.

I need to go to Scottsdale, I hope next week. I have time so I am going to drive.

I hope to find a place to stay in Scottsdale, while I look for a house.

Then the big trip, I have to go to Switzerland and will be staying there for the duration. Unless I can get out and go to some countries in Africa.

But here in the USA, drive.

Fly first class or business, social distancing .

[AndyLate]

Solidly agree - no way in hell I would fly.

Andy

[rjacobs]

I work for the airlines...

The airports are ghost towns...

The airplanes are empty(we had 1 passenger the other day).

The airports and airplanes are SPOTLESS and have cleaners swarming around.

Fly on the first flight of the day and you can guarantee the airplane was cleaned over night(my airline is doing 6 man hours of cleaning per airplane, I think prior to this it was 1 or 1.5).

Throw a mask on if you want(although I think they are mostly useless against this virus) and wash your hands.

IMO, right now, you have more chance of catching this thing at the grocery store than you do on an airplane.

[odugrad]

Another vote for driving. Lots to see and i find driving therapeutic. Put in some good music and enjoy the time alone.

[teufelhund1918]

Definitely drive. Just my opinion, but I think that airports are places where this virus has been spread faster due to all the traffic through them. Still don't think and know that from talking to some health officials this weekend that "we" still don't know enough about the Chinese virus, what it does and exactly how far spread it is. Enjoy the drive. It is a big beautiful country... just stay away from hanging out in the populated areas too long!

[Vandal]

I'd fly. Planes and airports are empty. Make the trip in one day and you don't have to worry about hotels, gas stations, finding a place to eat and that road trip fun.

If you have the time to kill and aren't in a hurry to get home, drive. Just sanitize the car you rent before you go anywhere.

[utahjeepr]

Fly, your exposure will almost certainly be lower and you will be home sooner.

I am having to get back to work, driving now for logistical reasons but starting next week I'll be a very frequent flier -
2x/week.

[Alex V]

At this point I’d rather fly. As said before airports are empty now. You’ll come in contact with maybe 5 people tips. Driving you have to stop for food and gas where you will undoubtably come in contact with more people and surfaces.