How far/long
Author
Discussion

daqinggregg

Original Poster:

5,335 posts

160 months

Saturday 13th July 2024
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TLDR; How far would you travel, for a two week holiday?

The UK is fairly well positioned for international air travel; the outer edges of Europe can be reached within 4 hours, East coast of America 8 – 12 hours. I think the limit for most holidaying Brits, is somewhere like Thailand 12 hours, beyond that they start to get a bit phased.

Compare that with NZ/Aus/SA or the likes of Argentina, there is some serious travel involved, to get to destination we commonly associate with tourism. However, they probably have access to destinations the Brits would never go to, because of distance, but due to location less crowded.

I have friends in Eastern Russia; anything administrative, involves a flight to Moscow 8 – 9 hours. Depending on where you live in Russia, may dictate where you holiday to some extent.

As an example, the Cook Islands, seems very popular with Kiwis and Aussies alike and looks a lovely destination. I doubt many Americans or Europeans would make the journey, I may be wrong with that assumption.

How far would you travel, for a two week holiday?

RichFN2

4,384 posts

210 months

Saturday 13th July 2024
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Generally 6 hours for 1 week, 12 hours for 2 weeks. Anything longer than 14 hours/connecting flight at Singapore etc would be 3 weeks as a minimum.

Shnozz

30,676 posts

302 months

Saturday 13th July 2024
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RichFN2 said:
Generally 6 hours for 1 week, 12 hours for 2 weeks. Anything longer than 14 hours/connecting flight at Singapore etc would be 3 weeks as a minimum.
Pretty much my exact take on it.

Bill

58,883 posts

286 months

Saturday 13th July 2024
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We have 3 kids so flights become prohibitively expensive. But for the right holiday (ie skiing) we'll do 14 hours drive each way for a week.

languagetimothy

1,790 posts

193 months

Saturday 13th July 2024
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I’ve been to South Africa a couple of times for two weeks. Big bonus being it’s the same time zone and the 11/12 hr flights were overnight, so get some Kip and no jet lag.

belleair302

7,015 posts

238 months

Saturday 13th July 2024
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So long as I am not having to change planes twelve hours would be my maximum. Chile, Vancouver, Singapore, Cape Town or San Diego. No to NZ or Australia or more remote multi flight locations.

belleair302

7,015 posts

238 months

Saturday 13th July 2024
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So long as I am not having to change planes twelve hours would be my maximum. Chile, Vancouver, Singapore, Cape Town or San Diego. No to NZ or Australia or more remote multi flight locations.

abzmike

12,117 posts

137 months

Saturday 13th July 2024
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It’s not so much the distance, it’s the aggro caused by transfers. Coming from NE Scotland anything long haul is at least one if not two transfers. Going to Bali this year for 2 weeks, but it’s only an hour more than Thailand, and a single 2 hour transfer at Doha so fine. Went to Perth (Oz) from Glasgow a few years ago for 4 work days… won’t be repeating that!

djc206

13,616 posts

156 months

Saturday 13th July 2024
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The only major destinations I don’t think I’d consider are Oz and NZ. I did look at doing a 9 day trip to Oz in September but it just didn’t seem worth it as the first couple of days would likely be a write off, also quite expensive. A friend recently did 3 days in Sydney to burn some air miles. Madman.

gotoPzero

20,943 posts

220 months

Saturday 13th July 2024
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daqinggregg said:
How far would you travel, for a two week holiday?
Now I am retired, max 6 hours flight - which turns into a 10-12 hour travel day.

If its more than 6 hours then 3+ weeks.

We always look at what else is in the area too, for the occasional side quest.


Voodoo Blue

1,159 posts

176 months

Saturday 13th July 2024
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I also think it depends on which direction you're travelling. North/South in roughly the same time zone is easiest to deal with. I find traveling west easier to deal with than travelling east where it takes me much longer to recover so would happily do a longer flight for a shorter duration.

okgo

42,327 posts

229 months

Saturday 13th July 2024
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Did Sydney for 2.5 weeks.

But flew business so the air time wasn’t that bad. Also broke flight up on the return with a stay in Thailand.

For one week with a young child it’s got to be circa 3-4 hours max.

Jasandjules

72,680 posts

260 months

Saturday 13th July 2024
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RichFN2 said:
Generally 6 hours for 1 week, 12 hours for 2 weeks. Anything longer than 14 hours/connecting flight at Singapore etc would be 3 weeks as a minimum.
Yup pretty much this.

Our first time to Tobago we did one week. From that point on the above criteria were derived.............

LimaDelta

8,525 posts

249 months

Saturday 13th July 2024
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I went to Singapore for the F1 a few years ago. The beauty of a night race meant I just stayed on UK time. That's the longest I've gone for a four-day weekend.