This is a question with TONS of variables...
- What will the airfare cost you?
- What will the rental car cost you?
- Does your insurance cover a rental car? If not, you will have to buy the company's insurance.
- What is the gas going to cost you? I'm sure there's a website that can estimate that for you.
- Hotels and meals "on the road" are not cheap!
- Seriously... will the airline be charging you for luggage? I flew Delta recently and they tagged on a $25 fee for the FIRST bag! Jet Blue and some others don't.
- Will you be making a whole vacation out of it? Meaning, do you have a full week to travel so you can stop and sight-see on the way?
I was in a wedding in Savannah last month (my cousin) and ended up flying by myself for the long weekend b/c it was going to cost a small fortune to drive down for the wedding and a true fortune to fly us all down. In the end, my husband and I talked about it and I HAD to be there b/c I was a bridesmaid, but as much as he wanted to be there, he stayed home with our son. Even with that, it cost me $1000 to be there.
If you have a full week and you want to make a family vacation out of it, go for the drive! It may cost you less (but may not) and you get the added bonus of seeing some cool stuff along the way! If you are going to "push it" and drive through with potty/eat and sleep stops only, then fly.