right now it is about $10k to learn to fly and get a pilots license, BUY A PLANE, $150K should be enough and fly yourself. Then get your instrument rating for $5k in your own plane as opposed to $10K in a rental. It may cost a little up front, but you will still be alive. I can fly my 172 from Los Angeles to Northeast Texas in 10 hours and land 3 miles from my daughters house, the airlines from burbank to Dallas is 2 1/2 hour flight then rent a car and take a 2 hour drive, not counting the time spent getting on and off the plane and waiting. about 10 hours
Enjoy while you can.
GA is under attack.
They don’t want the public to have that freedom.