That doesn't explain anything. Specifically it doesn't explain why in our comparisons the destination is fixed. You could decide for this weekend trip we're going to budget a max of 3 hours on transportation. Should we take a three hour flight to a different state or should we drive for three hours to a closer destination?

This just isn’t how normal people behave. They are starting with a destination (relatives, national park, etc.) and then choosing how to get there.