[CraigSca]

I think short-haul airplane travel will die off one day, but not due to high-speed rail. I think it will be self-driving cars that spell the doom.

Think about it - with self-driving cars traffic delays/accidents will be minimized, and cars will become more of a moving office/living room rather than "the ultimate driving machine."

I'd much rather drive (sit in the back seat) from Philadelphia to Buffalo in a comfortable atmosphere, watching movies or working on my laptop without the drudgery of baggage check, long security lines, wasted time in the airport, etc.

Sure, when I have to go cross-country, flying will still be necessary. But for convenience and flexibility, self-driving, utility cars will be the bees knees.