Omaha
As some of you might know, I travel a fair amount for work - both regionally and around the nation. I found out today that I need to go to a meeting in Omaha in a few weeks. I spend a fair amount of time looking at my travel options because I want to keep the cost as low as possible so that my company can continue to be profitable. Here is how I analyzed my travel options:
1) I could drive. It’s a 533 mile drive and would take about 7 hours. If I take my own car, I would be reimbursed about $500 in mileage. If I rent a car, it would be about $50 in rental fees and probably about $175 in gas. That’s a total of $225, so if I drive, I will rent a car. But then there’s the issue of my time. We’re talking about 14 hours of windshield time in two days.
2) I can fly from Milwaukee. When I checked prices, it was about $500 to fly from Milwaukee with a layover somewhere, making the travel time about 5 hours each way. Midwest offers a direct flight at roughly $600 with a flight time of just over an hour each way. This is more expensive than driving, but would allow me to be more productive with my time.
3) I can fly out of O’Hare. There are a couple of direct flights for less than $160, but the parking is a bit more. Plus, the drive would be a total of four hours and the company would reimburse me for about $115 in driving, thus making the total about $275 - plus parking. Time wise, going to O’Hare would take about 12 hours.
Given the options, I think I would fly out of Milwaukee. What would you do?
On a related note. Enjoy!
I drove between Madison and Omaha frequently last year instead of flying. 1. If you fly you still need to get a car when you get there or sacrifice mobility. 2. By the time you factor travel to and from the airport plus security, etc. I never found flying any faster. 3. You can travel on your own schedule. 4. It’s four lanes all the way and Iowa went to 70 mph speed limits on I80.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on July 16, 2008 at 2132 hrs
My take, I would drive. The way I see it you spend 150.00 on gasoline and pocket 350.00. I like to drive. Gives me some sanity and I am used to putting on a lot of miles. With the 350.00 I would buy my wife flowers and put the rest towards a future S & W .357. What ever you do, have a good trip.
Posted by Paul - Berry Laker on July 16, 2008 at 2134 hrs
Well… I have a S&W;.357, so…
BVBigBro, I’m another hour and 15 minutes East of Madison. And I would be picked up by a fellow employee, so I wouldn’t need a car.
Paul, I’m trying to do what is best for the company - not me
Posted by Owen on July 16, 2008 at 2137 hrs
About four years ago I drove it. I went to Madison and down 151 to Dubuque. It was early fall and a beautiful drive until I got out of the Mississippi valley in Iowa. My main reason for driving was to avoid the hassle at the airport. I enjoyed the trip but decided the next trip was going to be by air because of time and productivity.
You still have to factor ground transportation in Omaha to your flight options. There’s also a shuttle from here to O’Hare that might be economical.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on July 16, 2008 at 2137 hrs
I suspect from the Milwaukee area you could take 43 to Beloit and then head south to 80. If two are in the car I don’t know how flying would be cheaper.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on July 16, 2008 at 2144 hrs
My mistake, you would be picked up in Omaha of course, which means you would be wasting a fellow employees time instead.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on July 16, 2008 at 2152 hrs
Good point.
Posted by Owen on July 16, 2008 at 2155 hrs
I have to watch my expenses also, but your right, every bit counts towards a successful company. If flights were 5- 600 plus extra expenses, I would drive to save them some. Didn’t think about the rental. I’ll have to pass that on to my boss. Have a good week.
Posted by Paul - Berry Laker on July 16, 2008 at 2226 hrs
4) You could do a teleconference and save the company even more money.
Yes, a teleconference may be less efficient than the same amount of direct face time, but when you factor in the transit time there aren’t many meetings that couldn’t be teleconferences.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on July 16, 2008 at 2249 hrs
It’s not a particularly fun drive, but if you figure door to door time, I’m not sure you gain a lot by flying. When you drive, you walk out the door, get in your car and you’re on your way. When you get there, you arrive at your hotel and you’re there. To fly, you have to get to the airport an hour or two ahead of time, you have to go through the security checks, when you get there you have to wait around for your luggage, get ground transportation…. I’m not sure you really gain two hours and with a short flight and layovers, I’m not seeing a lot of productive time in there. You can also drive on your schedule, not around the airline schedule.
Last time I made that drive, I took a book on CD. Really helped the trip. If you feel you must be productive, you could take a business-related CD, but I took the John Adams biography and got through nearly the whole thing during the round trip.
I pack a lunch, make one gas stop, stop at a couple of rest stops to stretch my legs, but otherwise pretty much go straight through. Just try to avoid arriving in Omaha at rush hour.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on July 17, 2008 at 0546 hrs
Check on the price of a small plane charter. Bet you that the there and back price is real close when you figure your and your company’s time.
And there might be real close local airports on both ends.Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on July 17, 2008 at 0609 hrs
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Posted by Werbeartikel on July 17, 2008 at 0735 hrs
Check on the price of a small plane charter.
You might even be able to squeeze in a couple of jumps along the way.
Hell you could even do a drop right to your destination in Omaha and totally eliminate any inbound airport time.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on July 17, 2008 at 0802 hrs
nerdbert,
Believe me, I am a huge proponent of conference calls, Live Meeting, video conferencing, etc. and do it quite a bit. This particular meeting requires my physical presence.
jon,
Thanks for the tip. I hadn’t thought of that.
pjr,
I like the way you think.
Posted by Owen on July 17, 2008 at 0806 hrs
In above article the publisher want to travel and he has 3 options so i suggest him third option that is he can fly out of O’Hare. There are a couple of direct flights for less than $160, but the parking is a bit more. Plus, the drive would be a total of four hours and the company would reimburse me for about $115 in driving, thus making the total about $275 - plus parking. Time wise, going to O’Hare would take about 12 hours. Now if you want to travel across India and want car on rent then the best option is Rent a Car India, and you get best services here.
Posted by Send Gifts to India on July 17, 2008 at 0843 hrs
Sometimes given the time and hassle it takes to fly I ask myself wth didn’t I just drive.
For some reason driving tires me out so much more. Yes the hour you spend at the airport on each end (well one hour in Milwaukee and 2 hours at most other airports that aren’t as quick and accessible) messing with the rental car, blah blah blah… Time wise sometimes its almost a wash.
But driving is SO monotonous, and you’re doing the same thing the whole time (driving)
When I fly, the flight itself is usually NOT the longest part of the trip. Most time is spent waiting. And at least while waiting I can catch up on the stack of Milwaukee Business Journals on my desk that I can’t find time to read during the week.
Lastly… Owen, I’m sure you’ll have your laptop and Wi-Fi in the airport, so for you, the time will be well spent blogging.
If it were winter, you might risk huge flight delays that come up out of nowhere, but this time of year, I’d fly.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on July 17, 2008 at 0955 hrs
If you are flying Midwest out of Milwaukee to a place like Omaha you might also factor in the probability that your flight will even be there several weeks from now.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on July 17, 2008 at 1050 hrs
I’m flying to OMA non-stop from MKE tomorrow night, actually. I bought the ticket in May for ~$300, on the grounds that taking tomorrow off unpaid to drive 9 hours would cost me more money in the end (it’s a family event, so ground transportation on the other end is covered).
If someone was paying me to drive, I’d probably drive. Watch the aerial speed traps in eastern Johnson County IA.
Posted by HeatherRadish on July 17, 2008 at 1350 hrs
I travel from Chicago (where I live) to Kansas City often. About same distance, concerns you have going to Omaha. I’ve driven a few times, primarily due to constant flight delays at O’Hare. I’ve been avoiding going through Iowa though and drive a bit further via St. Louis due to road construction in IA (and flooding earlier). Check the Iowa DOT website for possible delays on 151 (if you go that way) and I-80. You don’t want to get stuck going 35 mph through the never-ending-cornfield state.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on July 17, 2008 at 1731 hrs
You can’t tele-conference? Seems this might be the answer.
Posted by Gregory on July 17, 2008 at 2048 hrs
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