Usually 100%. But if you have 12 fights a day that changes the equation. I-95/I-4 corridor can be a nightmare vs 12 flights of 1hr to ATL.

To each their own, that’s the great thing about this job. Options. I’d rather drive 20-30 mins to the airport and catch a 45 minute flight than drive 2-3 hours to get to my base. Especially with traffic in Florida.

Yeah I get that, except for when you add in commuter policy rules, weather events etc it becomes less cut and dry. I used to drive 25 min to the airport and catch a sub 1 hour flight to base however I often found myself sitting at my base hours before my day even started. Impossible, no obviously not, but I now drive 25 min and start work. I would take the shorter drive over a flight any day but like you said, to each their own.

From St Augustine, he/she will have more like a 2.5hr drive to MCO, it's probably an hour to JAX from there depending on where in St Augustine you reside.

Except you have to park, go through tsa and be at gate 60-30 min before flight. Then this flight gets in1-3 hours before your show time. You’re talking about 4 hours minimum for a 1 hour block commute. More like 5-6. To each their own though. The good and bad of the industry.

I am fortunate to have a flight about every 1 to 1.5 hours between JAX and ATL. I leave my house about 1:15 before scheduled block out and I park/make it through security and to the gate no problem. If there’s traffic or some unforeseen issue then I call crew scheduling and they positive space me on my 2nd flight. I rarely ever spend much time sitting around the airport for more than an hour or 2.

Maybe so, but there is certainly the potential for it. Just factoring in weather alone during the summer months in Florida can easily lead to 1-2 hour delays.

It's not the end of the world in your case but driving is fairly consistent. And as an added bonus you're not in the public eye during your commute to work, which is big deal to those of us who are trying to minimize our time spent with the flying public.

I love my job but when I punch out I am ready to not be around passengers.

Helps that JAX takes 3 mins to get to any gate, 5 if you grab a water on the way.

To the OP, thanks for this post. I’m in an almost identical situation. Appreciate the intel from everyone.