Rather than fly, I opted to travel by Amtrack and in the process made a wonderful discovery. For starters, our meeting in Philadelphia was not over in time for me to make my connection. It wasn't a big deal because there is always a later train. I simply walked to the ticket counter and made arrangements for the next train. There was no hassle and no additional charge. I bet you cannot duplicate that experience with an airline.
Obviously, there was no need to get to the train station an hour before departure or even fifteen minutes before departure for that matter. Did I mention you weren't subjected to any kind of security check?
My biggest surprise was how comfortable and roomy the seats on the train proved to be. Instead of three passengers crowded into one side of the aisle, there were only two. I had no idea that riding Amtrak would be like flying first class.
The train traveled with a passenger count of 40% of capacity, unlike most recent flights that I've taken. What had been a three-hour stint by car earlier in the day, proved to be a two-hour return by train.
Perhaps I need to rethink how I travel? Could it be that Amtrak is faster once you deduct the need to be at the airport at least an hour and a half before departure? I can tell you from my experience on Tuesday, that I have a new openness to traveling differently.
Okay, in case anyone is wondering, the price of the ticket was only $40.
All My Best!
Don