How Far Is Too Far To Drive? [2026 Survey]

Every long trip comes with the same basic choice: Spend hours on the road or head to the airport. The answer often depends on more than distance, with airfare, gas prices, traffic, delays, and personal preferences all shaping the final plan.

To see where Americans draw the line, Upgraded Points surveyed travelers in all 50 states about when they would rather fly than drive. Respondents shared the number of hours and miles that feel too far, what makes a drive feel “long,” and which factors push them toward one option over the other.

The results reveal major differences across the country, from states willing to drive nearly 13 hours to those ready to fly after just over 6. Read on to see how Americans decide between the highway and the runway.

Where Americans Draw the Line Between Driving and Flying

Some travelers head to the airport as soon as a road trip starts to feel like a full workday. Others keep driving well beyond sunset before considering a flight.

Across the U.S., respondents said a personal trip could last an average of 9 hours and 39 minutes before they would rather fly than drive. However, the point at which travelers traded the highway for the runway varied by more than 6 hours across states.

These States Would Head to the Airport Soonest

California residents had the lowest tolerance for a long road trip. They preferred to fly once a drive reached 6 hours and 24 minutes, more than 3 hours below the national average.

The 5 states with the lowest driving limits were:

• California: 6 hours, 24 minutes
• Massachusetts: 6 hours, 55 minutes
• Rhode Island: 7 hours, 16 minutes
• Texas: 7 hours, 16 minutes
• Illinois: 7 hours, 38 minutes

Several smaller Northeastern states ranked near the bottom. Massachusetts and Rhode Island placed among the bottom 3, while Connecticut came in just outside the top 5 at No. 6. With major airports and neighboring states often within reach, travelers in this part of the country have fewer reasons to commit to an all-day drive than many of their open-country counterparts.

California and Texas stand out for a different reason. Despite their size and long stretches of highway, residents in both states reached their flying threshold sooner than the average American. Texans were ready to switch to air travel after just over 7 hours, while Californians reached that point nearly 1 hour earlier. Both states are home to large metro areas where residents have likely gotten used to the convenience of living near major airport hubs like Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), and George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH).

These States Are Ready for an All-Day Drive

At the other end of the ranking, residents in several Mountain West and Central states were willing to spend most of the day behind the wheel. Idaho led the country with an average driving limit of 12 hours and 55 minutes before residents preferred to fly.

The 5 states with the highest driving limits were:

• Idaho: 12 hours, 55 minutes
• Montana: 12 hours, 42 minutes
• Kentucky: 12 hours, 40 minutes
• Missouri: 12 hours, 37 minutes
• Maine: 12 hours, 35 minutes

Idaho and Montana reflect a broader willingness to drive in states where cities, airports, and destinations often sit farther apart. Residents may view a long stretch on the road as a standard part of getting from one place to another rather than an automatic reason to book a flight.

Kentucky and Missouri showed similar patience, with both states willing to drive more than 12.5 hours. Maine broke from the broader Northeastern pattern. While Massachusetts and Rhode Island ranked among the states quickest to choose a flight, Maine residents were willing to drive nearly twice as long as their fellow New Englanders.

Overall, where you call home can really shape how travelers define “too far.” Residents in some compact, airport-rich states favored flying after roughly 7 hours, while those in more spread-out states remained open to driving for nearly 13 hours. Travel time, however, represents only 1 part of the decision. 

Why Americans Choose To Drive or Fly

Travel time may set the initial limit, but it rarely decides the trip on its own. Cost, reliability, traffic, and who is coming along can all shift travelers from a long, drawn-out drive on the highway to the convenience of an airport.

Road Trips Remain the More Common Choice

For long personal trips, 55% of Americans typically drive, while 20% typically fly. The remaining respondents said their choice depends on the trip or that they prefer another form of transportation.

Road trip preferences were especially strong in several Southern and Central states:

• West Virginia: 82% typically drive
• Mississippi: 74%
• South Dakota: 73%
• South Carolina: 71%
• Kentucky: 71%

Several of these states also showed a higher tolerance for long drives elsewhere in the survey. Kentucky residents, for example, were willing to drive an average of 12 hours and 40 minutes before preferring to fly, suggesting that longer stretches behind the wheel may feel more routine.

Flying was more common in these states:

• Illinois: 37% typically fly
• Rhode Island: 37%
• Washington: 35%
• New Hampshire: 31%
• New York: 31%

Rhode Island again stood out for its low tolerance for time on the road. Its residents were among the quickest to prefer flying and also reported one of the country’s lowest thresholds for what counts as a long drive.

Flight Costs Can Send Travelers Back to the Car

The biggest reason travelers would drive instead of fly was straightforward: price.

The flight-related issues most likely to encourage a road trip were:

• Flight costs: 75%
• Delays or cancellations: 33%
• Layovers or connections: 32%
• Traveling with children or pets: 31%

Airfare ranked far above every other concern, but the results show that convenience also matters. A less expensive flight can lose its appeal when it includes a connection, an uncertain departure time, or the added logistics of traveling with children or pets.

Travel rewards can also help tip the balance. About 1 in 10 Americans said rewards points and miles affect their decision to fly instead of drive a lot.

Road Trip Costs and Conditions Can Change the Plan

Driving comes with its own set of trade-offs. Travelers may avoid the airport to save money, only to reconsider when fuel costs, traffic, or vehicle concerns enter the picture.

The road trip issues most likely to encourage someone to fly were:

• Gas prices: 42%
• Car reliability: 41%
• Heavy traffic: 36%
• Overnight stops: 33%

The narrow gap between gas prices and car reliability suggests that travelers weigh both the immediate cost of the trip and the risk of something going wrong along the way. A road trip may look economical at first, but rising fuel costs, a hotel stay, or concerns about the vehicle can quickly change the calculation.

Even so, attitudes appear to be shifting toward the road, as 36% of Americans said they are more willing to drive long distances than they were 2 years ago.

When a Drive Starts To Feel Long

Americans may be willing to drive nearly 10 hours before choosing a flight, but a trip starts feeling long much sooner. On average, respondents said a drive becomes a “long drive” after 5 hours and 24 minutes.

Travelers in several Northeastern states reached that point earlier:

• Rhode Island: 3 hours, 31 minutes
• Massachusetts: 3 hours, 46 minutes
• New Hampshire: 4 hours, 4 minutes
• New Jersey: 4 hours, 6 minutes
• Pennsylvania: 4 hours, 14 minutes

That pattern closely mirrors the states that were quicker to choose air travel. Shorter distances between cities, access to major airports, and more transportation options may make several hours on the road feel less routine.

Travelers in the following states had the highest thresholds:

• Nevada: 8 hours, 22 minutes
• Mississippi: 6 hours, 58 minutes
• Kentucky: 6 hours, 53 minutes
• Idaho: 6 hours, 50 minutes
• Utah: 6 hours, 47 minutes

Nevada stood apart, with residents waiting more than 8 hours before calling a trip a long drive. Idaho and Kentucky also appeared near the top of the earlier driving-limit rankings, reinforcing a broader comfort with spending more time on the road.

Ultimately, Americans do not choose between driving and flying based on distance alone. They balance airfare, fuel costs, potential disruptions, vehicle reliability, and the demands of the trip. The point at which driving becomes “too far” varies by where you live, but the decision often comes down to which feels more affordable and manageable at the time.

Methodology

To determine how far is too far to drive for Americans, we surveyed over 2,400 people from 48 states over 2 weeks in July 2026 to explore how they decide whether to fly or drive for personal trips.

Respondents were asked about their distance, time, and cost cutoffs for choosing to fly instead of drive, as well as how they define long drives, road trips, and normal everyday drives. The survey also examined factors that influence travel decisions, including flight costs, gas prices, luggage, personal space, airport frustrations, road trip frustrations, and the convenience of having a car at the destination.

Data were analyzed overall and by demographic groups, including age, gender, and state. Percentages may not total 100% because of rounding, and some questions allowed respondents to choose more than 1 answer.

The survey was conducted online. Alaska and Wyoming were omitted because of low survey populations. Hawaii was omitted for geographic reasons.

Final Thoughts

The line between driving and flying looks different across the U.S. Some travelers are ready to book a flight after 6 hours on the road, while others are comfortable driving for nearly 13. Cost, convenience, delays, traffic, and vehicle reliability all play a role in where that line falls.

No matter which option travelers choose, the goal is the same: making the trip easier and more worthwhile. Upgraded Points helps travelers compare their options, get more value from rewards, and make smarter decisions about how to reach their next destination.