Should I Fly or Take the Train? Here’s How I Choose.

As someone who lives in the Northeast Corridor of the U.S., I have the luxury of choosing to travel by plane, train, or car to many destinations.

For me, it’s not always about schedule or price. There are a variety of factors that go into choosing whether to fly or take the train. While the cost of the trip and how long it will take are certainly important things to consider, these are not always my primary concerns.

Whether faced with productivity concerns, turbulence, upgrade potential, traveling with full-size liquids, or a handful of other scenarios, here’s how I determine which mode of transportation I select when traveling.

I Hate Driving

Take, for example, a recent trip I took from my home in Washington, D.C., to Durham, North Carolina. This is normally about a 4-hour drive without traffic. It’s a fairly easy drive with mostly highway driving, though it does pass through cities where traffic can easily build up.

I needed to be near Durham for a conference I was attending, but I hate driving. Not only do I hate being stuck in traffic, but I also dread having to be “on” for 4 hours and paying attention to the road and other drivers. I could have used that time so much more wisely, so it was a no-brainer for me to choose between taking the train or flying.

I live right next to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA). Just a short Metro ride away is the Alexandria Amtrak Station, my preferred Amtrak station for all points south. There are essentially 2 ways to get to Durham from where I am:

• The Amtrak Carolinian runs daily between Alexandria and Durham. It departs Alexandria at 11:26 a.m. and arrives in Durham at 6:58 p.m. This is an approximately 7 1/2-hour journey.
• There are multiple flights a day from DCA to Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU). American Airlines is the dominant carrier there, and there are departures throughout the day, most lasting around 80 minutes gate to gate.

So, why would I choose to take a 7 1/2-hour train ride rather than a less than 1 1/2-hour plane ride? Well, there are a few reasons.

Time Before Departure

When you fly, you need to be at the airport early, and security can be unpredictable. While the TSA recommends arriving 2 hours before departure for a domestic flight, in some cases, this can be way too much or too little. Fortunately, Reagan Airport has good security lanes where things move quickly, though I’ve also seen them back up.

There are no security checks when taking the train. You can arrive at the station just before the train arrives without having to worry about going through a metal detector or waiting in line. Amtrak warns that the boarding gate in large stations closes 2 minutes before departure, so you can’t cut it too tight, but you certainly don’t need to get there 2 hours in advance.

Access to Wi-Fi and a Cell Signal

When you take the train, Amtrak offers free Wi-Fi, and you typically have a cellular signal for the majority of the ride. If you want to stay productive, Amtrak offers all the features to do so. While the Wi-Fi can sometimes be slow, it’s easy enough to transition to your phone’s hot spot to remain connected the rest of the way.

Talking on the phone on the train can be frowned upon. Amtrak has a specific car on the train dedicated to quiet, though it’s common courtesy not to be on the phone or speak loudly in any of the other cars, either. So while there is a cell signal for most of the ride, you really should only be using that for data. For me, productivity is key. If I can arrive just before my train departs, and know full well I can be connected the whole way, that’s a huge plus.

Hot Tip:

If the Amtrak Wi-Fi cuts out, you can still use your phone as a hot spot, since you are on the ground.

Depending on the carrier, you may receive complimentary Wi-Fi on a flight. If not, it might be a nominal charge, though depending on the flight length, you may not want to pay it. I find that inflight Wi-Fi signals can be hit or miss. While many airlines advertise reliable service, maintenance issues or other external factors can cause the Wi-Fi to be down, which can be annoying, especially with long delays.

Weather and Maintenance Delays

Though Amtrak has its fair share of delays, there’s one thing that affects it far less than flying, and that’s weather. When there is severe weather, airports close, flights get canceled or diverted, and crews can easily fall out of place.

Since trains operate on the ground, there are far fewer impacts from weather. While severe weather can stop trains or slow them down, you’ll find them operating far more frequently than you would a plane in a similar scenario. Trains don’t have to fight through dense clouds, deal with turbulence, or compete with other air traffic. Trains follow a track to the next destination, and it’s much more likely that a train will get there even in the midst of bad weather.

When flying, you also need to deal with crew placements. One crew usually comes off one flight to work another flight, and in the case of weather or maintenance delays, those crews can very easily get out sync, forcing a delay or cancellation on the next flight.

You really don’t have to worry about that as much when riding the train. While conductors and engineers do swap out at designated points, because the trains are less likely to cancel in bad weather, those crews are usually in position to swap out when needed, so there’s less of a risk of crew availability issues.

Hot Tip:

Travel delays and cancellations still happen to us all. Consider using the Platinum Card^® from American Express or the Chase Sapphire Reserve^® for travel protections if your flight or train gets delayed or canceled.

Distance from the Airport

In many cities, the airport is farther from the central part of the city than the train station. New York City is a great example of this. Moynihan Train Hall is right in the heart of Manhattan, with LaGuardia, Newark, and JFK airports much farther away, comparatively.

The train is a no-brainer choice if I need to get downtown quickly. Ride-sharing fares to and from airports that don’t have good public transit can vary widely, with surge pricing in effect during peak times.

Of course, there are airports with great public transit, and if I’m flying into an airport with a decent train system, like Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), I’ll do that.

Turbulence

As someone who flies a lot, I have an admission to make. I hate turbulence. I hate it so much that I check flight reports before departure to see how bad the ride might be. Turbulence is uncomfortable and makes the flight much less productive since I can’t get up, use my laptop, or do anything other than stay strapped in.

If the ride report of my flight is predicted to be bad, I may take the train just for my own sanity, but I know others may not be so keen to do this. Turbulent rides may also mean that your pilots take a different path to the destination, trying to dodge weather along the way.

Upgrades and Seating

On Amtrak, you find 2 seating styles:

• On most trains, coach class is arranged in 2-2 seating, so you’re always paired with a neighbor. Business class is usually laid out in the same format, with additional legroom.
• On select trains, including the Acela, there is a first class product with a 1-2 seating arrangement.

When flying, you find 2 seating styles:

• On regional aircraft, economy class is in a 2-2 configuration. These same planes usually include a first class cabin with a 1-2 seating arrangement.
• On larger aircraft, you’ll find the economy class layout in a 3-3 configuration. These same planes usually have a first class cabin, and this is arranged in a 2-2 configuration, with extra legroom.

For some passengers, having an upgrade is important. On Amtrak, if you have elite status, you’re given several upgrade coupons you can use throughout the year, or you can always use Amtrak Guest Rewards points to upgrade.

When it comes to flying, only elite passengers are eligible for complimentary upgrades, and there are various certificates these passengers are given that increase their priority for upgrades. Whether you’re taking the train or flying, you can also bid for an upgrade or purchase an instant upgrade at a prevailing price.

I may choose to take one mode of transport over another depending on which one I can secure an upgrade on. When it comes to train travel, there are no complimentary upgrades without using an upgrade coupon or using points, but the upgrades are usually fairly plentiful and available starting at 48 hours prior to travel.

For flying, upgrades can start as early as around 100 hours out, and for most elite passengers, these are complimentary. The chance of an upgrade varies wildly depending on the day you’re flying (weekdays tend to be harder for upgrades because of all the business travel), but if I can fly up front, I try to!

Flexibility

Amtrak offers its business class customers (or first class on the Acela) the ability to fully refund their ticket for no extra charge. You have to pay hundreds of dollars more for the same flexibility on a flight. Even for the simplest of routes (like Washington, D.C., to New York), you’d be looking at over $800 for a fully refundable ticket, while a similar business class ticket between the 2 cities can cost around $100.

If my plans are in flux and I want to ensure I can receive a refund, I almost always purchase an Amtrak ticket. With a simple click on the Amtrak app, I can have my ticket refunded.

Amtrak does not offer same-day changes like airlines, so if you want to switch to an earlier or later train, you need to pay whatever the prevailing rate is, which could be quite high.

With an airline ticket, most elite status levels, and even some basic membership levels, offer free same-day changes and standby, allowing you to take an earlier or later flight for little to no cost. This is a flexibility Amtrak does not provide, so I consider what I need most, whether it’s a refund or the ability to move my time that day, and then purchase a ticket based on that information.

Bottom Line:

Unlike airlines, Amtrak business class fares on most trains (and first class fares on Acela trains) are fully refundable.

Luggage and Security

Taking the train does not require you to go through a TSA-like security process. While there may be roving police officers and dogs to sniff out explosives and other contraband, there is no formal process, and you do not need to go through any detectors before boarding your train.

Because of this, you’re not subject to the normal liquid restrictions that passengers who are flying have to abide by. You can take as many liquids of any size as you want in the bags you bring on board.

In addition, most trains allow you to bring on carry-on bags without any restrictions. Even if your bag is of a size that would normally need to be checked on a plane, a train can usually accommodate those bags in the luggage storage areas on either side of each car. With Amtrak, I don’t need to worry about what I’m packing or how much I’m bringing, as I know my bag won’t be screened and there’s usually plenty of room for it on board.

This can be especially useful if you’re bringing full-size toiletries or want to transport a bottle of wine, for example. Instead of being forced to check it and risking it breaking in the hands of the baggage handlers, you can bring it with you on the train and have control over it the entire time, which reduces the likelihood of anything happening to it.

Environmental Impacts

It’s important to be cognizant of the environmental impact of how we travel. Flying emits a lot more carbon emissions than taking a train, comparatively, so if taking the train is feasible, it’s the smarter thing to do for the planet.

A 2019 U.K. governmental study found that airplanes were the worst offenders when it came to carbon emissions. A domestic flight was responsible for an average of 133 grams of carbon dioxide emissions for every kilometer a single passenger traveled (with an additional 121 grams of secondary emissions at high altitude besides carbon dioxide). A domestic rail trip, on the other hand, emitted 41 grams of carbon dioxide per passenger, or less than 31% of the CO₂ emissions from a plane.

Taking the train is better for our planet, for sure.

Final Thoughts

If I can, I’ll almost always take a train if I’m traveling between cities that are relatively close to each other. I find trains more comfortable and more accessible, and the fact that I can depart and arrive from a station downtown is simply unbeatable. Of course, flying can be faster, and there are times I prefer to fly because of the schedule or upgrade. If you’re trying to choose between the 2, look at what is important to you, and decide which features make the most sense for your journey.