Yeah, there’s no way I’d let someone drive 14 hours straight if there were other qualified drivers in the car. It’s completely a safety issue. If the only options are he is the only driver for 14 hours or fly, I’d fly.
Yeah, I’ve made the drive before in one shot - sole driver. It is a long day, but not impossible.
My wife usually likes to drive, but I usually spell her for an hour or 2 here and there. Me, I’m perfectly happy to ride (so long as the driver is OK.)
I figured w/ 4 adults we could go right through - bring a bunch of food, get a van w/ reclining seats so folk could nap, bring vids/games/food/toys for the kid. Or we could take a bunch of breaks - maybe stop off overnight. I’m pretty flexible about my ability to take time off from work, and the $ isn’t an issue either way.
But we never got to the point where we decided how to do it, because they seemed quite unenthusiastic about it. Our main motivation for suggesting it was to potentially save them money (AND to spend time with them.) Our preference, tho, was to fly and rent a car. So we just made the plans that were best for us. No idea how they plan on getting out there.
Similarly, we floated the idea of us renting a house out there to share with whomever else was in from out of town. But our preference was for the privacy of our own hotel room, so when no one was overly enthusiastic about the idea, we made our own reservations.
Thanks for all the answers.
As someone who’s driven 26 hrs over the past two weekends; yeah, if there were other even semi-competent drivers in the car for that long of a ride, I’d expect someone else to take a turn at the wheel, just to give the driver a (mental) break of needing to be ‘on’ for that many hours in a row.
I respectfully ask why you are posting this question to a bunch of strangers on the internet instead of asking one of the two people who knows the answer to this question. I think most people would be willing to explain why they would want to do all the driving.
I like driving. I have control freak tendencies. Having one person drive for 14 hours straight is a stupid plan, especially when it’s about the destination, not the journey.
Driving isn’t as tiring as some other activities, but you really should take a break every few hours or so. It makes far more sense to have multiple drivers switch off rather than have a bunch of people wait around for one guy to rest enough to keep driving.
Unless there’s some really, really, really good reason like “I projectile vomit when anyone else drives a car.” in which case, I’d avoid being in a car with them altogether, especially if 1st class flight was an option.
I should link to a recent thread where I stated what I believe a person means when they say, “With all due respect…” 
Sure, we could ask them, but we don’t care enough. Just enough to post an anonymous question on a messageboard…
Do they even offer first class flights from Chicago to Denver? Usually, medium hop flights might have a few business class seats, but almost the entire plane is economy or the even worse super economy.
I’ve never driven Chicago to Denver, but I do know what’s out there…nothing! I can’t imagine why anyone would insist on driving the route exclusively. The era of the driver controlling the radio/tape player/CD player is well over.
I’d look for a cheap flight. None of you will die by spending a couple of hours on Southwest, you may however save your sanity which beats 14 hours in the cornfields of the Great Plains.
But now I really, really want to know!
The thing that stuck out for me was that this was being said about him, not by him. He may well insist on doing all the family driving but may have very different ideas about long distance. This guy is being diagnosed for a stick up his butt he may not even possess. My partner sometimes assumes she knows how I will react to something but she is not always correct.
Has anyone considered this “I must drive” statement is an opt out.
Like “Sorry, I can go out Friday…I have to wash my hair”
You offered to drive to save them money, maybe they opted out to save you from missing first class, or being in a car with screaming baby for the day.
Maybe they want to stop at a bar, casino, sex store and don’t want to take you with them.
Just my take. I see nothing in the OP to support any conclusion, I just wanted to propose a different view.
Almost undoubtedly; both airports are hubs for United, and, as they’re major cities, the service is unlikely to be via regional jets (which usually don’t have a first class section).
IME, unless you’re flying on Southwest or the like, the planes will have several rows of first class seating.
Too late to edit: I just looked at United’s schedule for tomorrow (3/15) for ORD-DEN, for an example. They have ten flights scheduled; nine of them use a 737, and one uses a 757.
From what I can see, their 737s have 4 or 5 rows of first class seating, and the 757 has 6 rows.
Rocky Mountain Sex Store!
With their three-year-old. :eek:
A: She might think he always wants to drive because he always wants to drive when he’s with her (if she’s that bad a driver).
B. I really don’t like “ailments” in quotes - it sounds dismissive and insulting when reading it without tone of voice.
I might ride with you. But only in your car. 
Which John Denver album is that on?
I have no doubt our OP’s family wouldn’t do such a thing. But those examples we’re the low hanging fruit that illustrate the idea.
It could be anything they want to do privately. Maybe they like to sing along to the radio (badly and loudly) on road trips. I know I do.
I hope their trip goes well.
Given the choice of flying to Denver in first class, and driving in a minivan with somebody who insists on doing all the driving, and his family, I think I’d fly first-class.
OP, why don’t you just let Daughter and SIL and family make their way to Denver on their own? You can meet them in Denver.
My philosophy has generally been that I’m willing to believe someone else will drive the car I’m in quite well – right up to the moment of impact.