Air travel has made it possible to explore all the corners of the globe with little more than a passport and a plane ticket, but before you can go exploring, you’ve got to make it to the airport.

For most people, that means driving. The question is, do you drive your own car, or find an alternative means? There are pros and cons to either solution. We even did a little research on Reddit to see how some members of the BMW owners’ community approach this dilemma.

The Drivers

Millenials who rely on ride-sharing services to go everywhere might be surprised to see how many people still drive their cars to the airport. User rotary_turbo99 reports a very positive experience at London’s Gatwick Airport.

“Here in the UK, we left our car at Gatwick for a week. And my dad accidentally left his medication on top of the car. We came back to it in perfect condition with the meds still there. So if it is the airport car park, I’d say go for it because they are quite secure.”

It’s true most major airports offer a secure lot where you can leave the car without worry of molestation. The problem with this is the costs that can come with using the airport lot, so you may want to consider a more affordable offsite parking lot.

User GrimmandLily said: “I leave mine, but I don’t drive my ‘nice’ car, I take my truck which is dinged/faded/scratched so I don’t care if someone bumps or scratches it. That said, I usually park in long-term covered parking off the airport and I’ve never had a problem, even when I’ve left it there for a week.”

The Riders

Then again, why go to the trouble of driving at all if you can leave the car safe at home and make it to the airport affordably? With so many ride-sharing options these days, it’s a hard proposition to pass up.

BigR0n75 wrote, “I haven’t had any incidents, but I try not to. Long term parking can be $20+ per day and I can get an Uber both ways for under $50. Then I can keep my car in my garage at home.”

Sounds like a safe policy to us. Your home garage is probably the safest place for your BMW, but there are alternative methods of getting to the airport. If you’re not high on ridesharing services, try user Tangent_’s approach:

“The last time I took a trip, I just got a one-way rental both ways. It was less expensive than an Uber and I didn’t have to worry about my car crammed into one of those lots.”

You avoid the added costs of a ridesharing service, ditch the car when you make it to the airport — and there’s one waiting for you when you come back. If you live somewhere with Car2Go or a similar service, this solution might be the silver bullet.

So let us know in the comments: What’s your preference? Are you fond of coming home to your favorite set of wheels waiting in long-term parking, or do you prefer to store the Bimmer at home and let someone else do the work?