$3.19 a Gallon

In the late 1990s, crude oil prices collapsed and gasoline fell to $1.00 a gallon. At the time, I was thinking about driving cross-country from Washington, DC to Los Angeles. The round trip gas bill would have been about $200. Flying round trip would have been about $400. So for about the same price, you could see America from the ground and cover lodging and meals.

Yesterday, I paid $3.19 a gallon to fill my gas tank up. A cross country road trip today would cost over $600. Interestingly enough, a round trip flight still costs around $400.

A combination of factors have kept airfares relatively low. Competition, lower labor costs and more efficient jet engines play a large part in cost savings.

Coast-to-coast airfares have been stable, but shorter flights have become more expensive. A round trip ticket from DC to New York City costs about $250, where it used to range from $100 - $200. Flights from DC to Florida are in the $200 - $300 range, where they used to be under $200.

What's the moral of the story? Take your vacations when you can and enjoy your free time fullest extent possible. Life is too short to put things off. And give me a call if you want to do a cross-country road trip!