Long cross-country flights are my favorite. The cruise portion is relatively easy, with plenty of time to plan ahead, monitor weather, etc., as the world literally slides by underneath. Going places on my own schedule with friends and family is one of the main reasons I learned to fly in the first place.
But cross-countries do have their drawbacks. The need for more-detailed flight planning is obvious, along with the uncertainty of what one might find in the way of services and fuel availability on landing at an unfamiliar destination. It’s a lot different than bouncing around the traffic pattern or zooming off to a nearby familiar airport for a hundred-dollar hamburger. And then there’s weather.
