[alandjen]

Hi all! In the couple of years I've watched the board, and the last few weeks that I've posted questions, I've gotten such great advice and comments that I thought I'd try to give something back. Here are some considerations that came into play when deciding whether to fly or drive with our twin daughters. First I'll address cost, and do convenience in another post.

We took our (then 20 mo. old) twins last Memorial Day, along with my father and my wife's mother. My Dad offered to pay for the twins! Basically, because that's the kind of grandpa he is, but I also think he didn't relish the idea of a 17-20 hr drive in the back of a minivan. So the cost decision was easy for us then. We're going back with just me, my wife and the girls this September (leaving the 4mo. old with Grandma) and this time we're driving.

Anyway, some of these considerations may be obvious, or may be in the various guides, but just in case they'll help anyone make the decision, here goes (obviously some things are more of a consideration with >1 child than with 1). Also, I'm not suggesting this list is exclusive, just the main things that come to mind for me:

1. First big question is whether to buy a seat for the kids or hold them on your lap. This comes first b/c it'll determine your travel cost, which I assume is the main reason for weighing flying vs. driving. (if cost is no issue, there are still [in]convenience issues with flying that might not be apparent until you've done it).

I think that kids under two are legally allowed to ride on your lap, but the question is whether the savings on their airfare justify that for you.

Pros: The main "pro" of keeping them in your lap is, obviously, the cost savings. However, some airlines charge a reduced fare for toddlers below a certain age, so you should look into that. It may make an ostensibly lower-priced-per-ticket airline cost more than one that charges abit more for adults but discounts nicely for toddlers. And it might make seats for the little ones fall within your budget.

Cons: The cons to keeping the kids in you lap are basically the "pros" of getting them their own seat, so I'll cover those together.

First, the safety considerations. Catalogs like One Step Ahead sell a harness to hold a lap-baby/toddler during the flight. That sounds like a good idea. But if you're concerned about that, you're going to have to budget for more seats.

Next, comfort. How long do you really want to hold your child in your lap? How long will they "let" you hold them there? How heavy are they? Do you want to eat during the flight (if they're even serving anything anymore)? With just one child I suppose you can play "hot potato" with your travel companion, but if you've got more than one, and it's one child/lap, the options are either your lap or the aisle.

How "itchy" are your kids? Are they perpetual motion machines? Depending on their age, they might not understand the concept of "the captain has turned on the fasten seatbelt sign". I suppose some kids would last longer in their own seat than your lap, and other kids are vice versa. Best to figure out which yours are before you book.

Are your kids still on good nap schedules that the flight would interfere with (or are you flying there or back after their bedtime)? They might have a better chance of catching some sleep in their own seats.

Our twins did really well in their own seats. We installed their carseats onto the airline seat, so that gave them a degree of familiarity. They seemed to enjoy looking out the window.

2. Having determined your flight costs (based upon the number of seats needed), the next cost consideration is transportation down there. Will you use Disney Transportation exclusively? Some folks swear by it. We've always preferred to have our own vehicle (for trips to Universal/SeaWorld, or b/c we just didn't want to fight crowds at the bus stops). With young ones, you might prefer the convenience of being on your own schedule, but that's your call.

If you decide to rent a car, here are some cost-things to keep in mind.

What size car do you need: If you have one child, you can probably get away with a larger-size sedan (no more sub-compact, discount, Neons once the kiddies come!). If you've got more than one child (especially if they're still in full car seats), you're probably looking at renting an SUV or minivan (unless you're a heck of a packer and get by with a minimun of luggage, strollers, etc.). If you've got more than two kids, or are bringing along a third adult, you might be able to squeeze into a minivan (we all got into a Ford Freestar-size van), but you're pushing it at that point. Anything beyond that and your looking at the "panel van" or "luxury SUV" category and a substantial price jump. Basically, think about what you're driving now, and try to picture that, with everything you need to take added in.

We found that the availability of minivans and larger vehicles are much more limited than for sedans. And the price jump into those categories can be surprising. So you've got to factor about $300-$500 into the travel cost (based upon a week and even with a free upgrade) and make sure you lock in early. Depending on how far you're drive would be, this cost alone may exceed the gas expense of driving (check out the AAA site for a nifty fuel expense calculator that is based upon the year, make and model of your car and your departure and destination cities).

Where will you pick up: After a flight, having fought the luggage pick-up belt, and trying to get through an always crowded Orlando Int'l with all your stuff and your little ones, do you really want to have to wait for and get on the Hertz bus for a possibly 15-20min ride to the rental agency? Renting from an on-site agency is much more convenient in this situation, but of course adds to the price. Take that into consideration.

Where will the kids sit: Do you want to rent car seats from the rental co. (which adds to the price) or bring your own? There are convenience issue here that I'll address in another post, but for now, make sure you take this into consideration budgetwise. You might take this for granted b/c it's such a constant in your life, but you must remember to factor it in.

So, those are the cost considerations that we encountered on the flying end of the equation. Obviously on the other side you've got to consider the price of gasoline, wear & tear on your car, and possibly an overnight stay enroute if you can't or don't want to drive straight-through.

Driving from Philly in September, we've estimated that our gasoline expense will probably be less than what we'd expect to pay for a rental car. In addition to that saving, we'll be saving our airfare, which based upon lowest available fares right now, will save us between $850-$1,100 (for four seats). We're thinking about driving straight-through, but even if we stop for a night on the way down, we'll still come out substantially ahead.

I'll address some of the {in}conveniences that we realized on our last flight with the twins that might not be apparent if you haven't flown with your kids yet. Hope this is helpful.

[Dana]

Thanks for posting that! It's going to help someone to decide what to do while traveling with a wee one.

[mickeymommy]

We've flown both ways with DS. Of course, he's over 2 now, so we have to buy him a seat now. He always did great sitting in our laps or standing by my feet in order to look out the window. He also sleeps better in my lap than in his own seat, even now that he's older. There is a mention of cheaper fares for toddlers. I have seen this on several sites and have yet to find them. In 2 years of flying with DS, we haven't found a single fare that was cheaper for him. I just wanted to point this out in case someone is spending countless hours looking for those elusive fares!

[alandjen]

Jane, I think we saw the reduced toddler rate when we checked prices directly at the Southwest sight. I'm not sure this reduced rate showed up when we checked through Expedia or Orbitz (but I can't quite remember). Ultimately we went with USAirways due to more preferable flight times and a non-stop route.

[KarenT]

Both United and American airlines offer reduced fares for under 2 infants in seats. It is 50% off the adult fare you pay. However you can not book them on line , you have to call and make the reservation ( which costs 10.00 over the phone) However you can book the adult seats on line and then call to book the infant seat. Southwest also has reduced fares for infants but I do not know what they are, you have to call and book also.
We always buy a seat for our under 2 kids. Normally it ends up being around 100.00 R/T which IMO is well worth it for the extra space and wiggle room!
Thanks for all the info-well written and thought out!

[NokeyNose]

I appreciate the fact that you went through all of the trouble of spelling out the pro's and cons for everyone, I am sure it will come in handy to a lot of people!