Boston in-laws refuse to drive couple to airport, provide confusing alternatives: 'We're leaving today'

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Remy Millisky • Writer and Editor
Jan 4, 2026 3:00 PM EST

These in-laws don't want to pick up anyone from their local airport, but their family members aren't so sure about their reasoning. 

Sometimes you're the flyer, and sometimes you're the person driving another flyer to the airport. Yin and yang, right? People feel all kinds of ways about driving people to the airport — a lot of folks strongly dislike doing that particular chore, and they're not shy about telling that to everyone around them. It's understandable, because there are often long lines of traffic snarling around airports, not to mention confusing signage and miles of gates to drive around before finding the right one. Sometimes other cars are already taking up all the spots, so you have to keep driving around until you can squeeze in. And a near-universal human experience is driving halfway to the airport, only to get a message from your traveller companion that the flight has been delayed, and they aren't even in the air yet, let alone at their destination. Ugh! 

Now, to avoid this, there are several options. You can rent a car, for example. If you catch the rental service on a good day (read: not a major holiday of any sort), you might get yourself a pretty decent car to zoom around with. Or you might be left with no car if they don't hold your reservation, as often happens. So silly how that works! 

Another option is to take public transportation home from the airport, and you can feel your shoulders slumping in exhaustion just thinking about it. That means that you, your carry-on, your checked luggage, and your travel companions are now going to take an air train, some buses, or some subway trains in order to get where you're going. You'll need to carve out extra time to take your luggage down elevators, since you can't use the stairs while hauling all that around with you. And you just have to cross your fingers and hope that you and your luggage can actually fit on a crowded train or bus successfully, otherwise you'll be left waiting for the next one. I'm exhausted in solidarity of this kind of trip — if you've done it even once, you know how badly you just want to get home after a long journey, but suddenly, there are a dozen steps you need to follow just to lug you and your heavy bags home. 

This person shared their in-laws' absolute refusal to go near the airport, which is both amusing and rather infuriating for the affected travelers. Check out their story below, and see who you agree with — the travelers, or the wise Boston parents who won't go near that airport for any reason. 

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  • 01

    'My in-laws refuse to drive to the airport'

    Woman in white shirt with gray hair crosses arms in annoyance, behind her a woman in red and man in denim stand in airport pickup area
    via Getty Images For Unsplash+

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • 02
    I'm currently at my in- laws for the holidays and they won't drive us to the airport.
    via u/NukeTheEwoks
  • 03
    They live an hour outside of Boston and claim that "it's the worst airport to drive in and out of", so they won't drop us off.
    via u/NukeTheEwoks
  • 04
    I was a little confused on the way here when we took an Uber to their friend's house just outside the city (and awkwardly crashed a family get-together) just to wait for a pickup.
    via u/NukeTheEwoks
  • 05
    We're leaving today and our options are 1. They drop us off at their friends and we Uber from there (awkward)
    via u/NukeTheEwoks
  • 06
    2. We take the train (much longer trip) 3. We just take an Uber all the way from their house (expensive)
    via u/NukeTheEwoks
  • 07
    We've just decided on option 3, because we can afford it, and it's the least amount of hassle. Next time, we're renting a car.
    via u/NukeTheEwoks
  • 08
    Edit to clarify a few things: My wife and her mom made the plans, which is why I was confused about it being so convoluted.
    via u/NukeTheEwoks
  • 09
    My wife wanted to rent a car, but her mom told her not to because she would arrange transport (a la said convoluted plan).
    via u/NukeTheEwoks
  • 10
    I understand the optics of entitlement, but they offered to pick us up and drop us off... Just not from the airport directly, apparently.
    via u/NukeTheEwoks
  • 11
    Whenever they come to town I pick them up from the airport without question.
    via u/NukeTheEwoks
  • 12
    Again, if I'd known this was the plan, I would have just rented a car.
    via u/NukeTheEwoks
  • 13
    Woman and man stand among suitcases and look at paper together in outdoor airport pickup area setting
    via Getty Images For Unsplash+

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

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