What is the most cost efficient method of travel?

Question

My family and I will be going from Chicago to Texas, during the holidays of course. I have looked into airfare and it looks like it's going to be expensive. We have considered driving, but with gas prices being what they are.....plus, we have a full-size Tundra, not the most gas efficient vehicle. My Camry would be great, but too old to be reliable enough for a trip that long. Trains are just as expensive as flying.

So now we're back to flying v. driving. I wouldn't mind either one, it's just that we don't know what the gas prices will be like. Any ideas as to how we could minimize the cost of this trip? We're staying with family so we don't have to pay for hotel/rental car.

The other option I have is to drive from Texas to Vegas with my brother and then fly back to Chicago from Vegas. I would love to do that as well, but it seems that the one way tickets (Chicago to Dallas, then Vegas to Chicago) would be more expensive then roundtrip Chicago/Dallas.

We plan on leaving Dec. 26, 2008 and returning on the following weekend (Jan. 4 or 5).

Any tips?

Answer 1

Sit down with everyone that is going on the trip and find out if they really want to go.  If they do, ask them if they would be willing to chip in for the cost of the gas.  If you have a big family, see if they would be willing to draw one name out of a hat and that is the only person they have to get present for and that way you can use the rest of the money for the trip.  I have several friends that did this and they had a great time.  They did it a little different though.  One friend had the big truck and everyone decides that they would use her truck and the rest would pay for the gas, since she was paying to have the vehicle serviced before the trip.  Good Luck.