If we were to drive from Houston TX to southern Florida next year, would it be cheaper to drive than to fly?

Question

In July next year. And what would be the difference in the costs?

Answer 1

That depends on how many people are traveling and if you will need a car once you get to FL.

Air tickets cost about $300 round-trip per person between Houston and south Florida, though you MAY be able to get a little better deal on Southwest Airlines. A rental car for a week would be about $250 plus fuel.

The costs for one person to fly and rent a car would be about $600, for two would be $900, for three woud be $1200, and for four would be $1500.

The distance from Houston to Miami is about 2400 miles round trip.   Assuming 20 miles per gallon at $3.50 per gallon is $420 in fuel costs.  There will also be other costs, such as meals and probably also a hotel night each way.   Figure about $700 in costs for one person, not counting wear & tear on the car.

The cost for driving with more than one person in the car do not go up as quickly as with flying.  Probably $50 per person for extra meals, and $200 more for a second hotel room each way if there are more than two in the car.  That means four people in a car would cost about $1000 to drive r/t between Houston and Miami.  You can save the cost of the hotel rooms, or have four people in one room, but the trip starts to turn into an ordeal.