{"id":4676,"date":"2017-09-19T23:50:01","date_gmt":"2017-09-20T06:50:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.wanderlustforone.com\/?p=4676"},"modified":"2024-07-21T04:54:25","modified_gmt":"2024-07-21T08:54:25","slug":"day-trip-by-airplane","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wanderlustforone.com\/staging\/3560\/travel-tips\/day-trip-by-airplane\/","title":{"rendered":"Your First Day Trip by Airplane: Tips to Make It Great"},"content":{"rendered":"
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It\u2019s no mystery why day trips are popular. They’re a fun and spontaneous way to experience something different, even if it\u2019s just for a few hours. Whether you\u2019re short on time or money, or you simply want to sample solo travel, a day trip can provide an ideal opportunity for a brief escape. If you\u2019re considering a day trip, but you’ve already exhausted your list of interesting destinations easily accessible by car, bus, train, or ferry, you should weigh the possibility of taking a day trip by airplane.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Isn’t a day trip by airplane a waste?<\/h2>\n

Business travelers frequently take same-day return flights, but if you’re paying for it yourself, an airplane day trip may seem a misuse of time. You travel all day only to spend a fraction of it enjoying your destination. On my recent day trip to San Francisco<\/a>, I was awake for 21 hours, rising at 3:30 a.m. and returning past midnight one day later. Totaling the time spent in flight, waiting to board the plane, and traveling to and from the airport at both ends of my trip, I did the math: nearly 12 hours in transit for only nine hours of exploration. Was the trip worth it?<\/p>\n

Yes.<\/em> You know what they say: travel isn\u2019t just about the destination; it’s about the journey.<\/p>\n

I won’t lie–my San Francisco day trip was a marathon travel day. By the time it ended, I was happy but weary and convinced I\u2019d never again do something so ill-advised. Now that time has passed and my memories of the trip’s challenges have faded, I’ve realized how much I enjoyed my visit and how little I spent to make it happen. I made some mistakes, but since it was my first flying day trip, I’m considering it an education. Now I\u2019m excited to attempt another similar experience–with a few improvements. Here\u2019s what I\u2019ve learned so far about planning and taking a day trip by airplane.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Start with an airfare deal<\/h2>\n

Unless you\u2019re flush with disposable cash, you should\u00a0start with finding a great bargain on your airfare.<\/strong> One of my favorite sites for finding discounted airfares is The Flight Deal<\/a>–it\u2019s where I found my cheap round-trip flight to San Francisco. Other favorite sites worth checking out: Google Flights<\/a> and Skyscanner<\/a>, where you can set up notifications for low fares to interesting places.<\/p>\n

Choose your destination wisely<\/h2>\n

Before you purchase your plane ticket, make sure you\u2019re smart about where you want to go<\/strong>. Choosing a day-trip-friendly destination is a big part of making your travel experience successful. As you’ll likely want to maximize the amount of time you spend enjoying your destination, consider a few things:<\/p>\n