I've traveled between London and Paris 3 times over the past 2 years. Here's why taking the Eurostar train is better than flying, even though it costs more

Unless you book well in advance, the cost of traveling to Paris on the Eurostar is more expensive than flying.

For example, a ticket for a Vueling flight leaving London's Gatwick Airport on September 9 currently costs a mere £31, or around $40, whereas the cheapest Eurostar ticket available to purchase on the same day costs £97, or around $123.

But even though taking the Eurostar costs more, I always prefer to pay extra for the number of benefits available when choosing rail travel over plane travel.

At airports, where you generally have to arrive two to three hours before your flight departs depending on where you are heading, it's not uncommon to be stuck waiting in long lines to check in. Once you do that, you then have to deal with the stress of airport security, which means going through the hassle of taking out your electronics and liquids from your carry-on.

Meanwhile, from my experience, the process of checking in for a journey on the Eurostar is much more seamless. At the departure terminal at St Pancras International station in Kings Cross, London, it's rare to see a long, slow-moving line at check-in.

Passengers often stroll in at their leisure between 75 and 90 minutes before their departure time and there is no limit to the volume of liquids you can bring in luggage, making the security process far less stressful.

I've been lucky enough not to have experienced a Eurostar delay over the past two years. And while delays and train disruptions aren't unheard of, they are incredibly rare.

That's because the Eurostar has made clear that punctuality is one of its top priorities. This year, for example, the company said its goal was to ensure that "86% of trains arrive within 15 minutes of their scheduled arrival time."

Sadly, the same cannot be said for most of my recent experiences with airlines. Whether it's been long-haul or short-haul flights, I've come to feel that more often than not, my plane journeys have been disrupted by lengthy flight delays or cancellations.

I'm far from the only traveler who has dealt with the frustration of flight delays recently. Gad Allon previously reported for Insider that it's because airlines have started to put more of an emphasis on selling low-cost tickets, which has made them less competitive in every other aspect of air travel – including punctuality.

One of the all-time worst aspects of flying has to be the experience of landing at your destination and finding out that your bag, containing your vacation outfits, toiletries, and other essentials, is missing.

Another terrible aspect relating to bags on flights is the stress of making sure it doesn't go over the airline's weight restrictions and, if it does, having to pay extra.

But on the Eurostar, you don't have to deal with either of those factors. You can keep tabs on your luggage throughout the journey because you store it in the same carriage that you're seated in. There's also no limit to how heavy your bag can be, so long as you are able to carry and store it safely.

Whenever I'm on a plane, I can't help but feel trapped and almost like I'm part of a herd of cattle being shepherded from place to place. Worse still, on short-haul flights, the seats often feel cramped, no matter what type of ticket you book, and there isn't really space to stretch your legs.

The opposite is true of the Eurostar. Whether you book a premier class or a standard class ticket, you are able to move freely throughout the train and enjoy spaces like the cafe carriage where passengers can grab a coffee and a snack as well as take in the views of the British and French countryside that you'd miss if you were flying.

Ultimately, I always feel more sophisticated and in control of my bearings on the Eurostar, which makes the travel experience much more enjoyable.

One of the trips I took to Paris in the past two years was for work. Compared to previous journeys I've made as part of my job, it was so much easier to get started on projects while I was on the move. The WiFi worked super well and I had plenty of space to use my laptop, both in standard and premier class.

In recent years, I've found that fewer airlines provide passengers with in-flight dining options, especially on short-haul journeys. If they do, it often takes a while for flight attendants to bring the food cart around to each row of seats – so depending on where you're sitting, you could be waiting ages to eat.

Although food and drinks aren't free on a Eurostar train, you can enjoy dining options at the onboard cafe, known as Café Métropole, shortly after departure. The cafe, found in coaches 6 and 13 on original Eurostar trains and coaches 8 and 9 on the newer trains, also has a variety of options – everything from small snacks like chips, sweets, and olives, to meals like grilled baguettes.

And if you book a seat in the premier classes, you are guaranteed a proper meal, delivered right to your seat by a Eurostar train attendant.

One of the most important reasons why traveling by Eurostar is better than flying is the impact it has on the environment.

Looking at carbon footprint alone, a single flight to Paris is equal to 14 Eurostar journeys, according to the Eurostar website. What's more, a single passenger is responsible for emitting 4 kilograms, or around 9 pounds, of carbon dioxide emissions when they take the Eurostar compared to 57.8 kilograms, or around 127 pounds, of carbon dioxide emissions on a flight.

The Eurostar has also said it's planning to switch entirely to renewable energy to run its trains by 2030.

Flights to Paris often land in airports like Charles De Gaulle. After going through immigration, you then have to take a 45-minute taxi or a 30-minute train into the city. The process is tedious, especially if you're really looking to get your holiday started.

By contrast, when you take the Eurostar to Paris you immediately feel like you've arrived at your destination when the train stops at Gare du Nord, a station close to the center of the city.

Once there, you can either take the underground, which is easy to navigate even if you don't speak French, or a short taxi to your accommodation. After dropping your bag, you can immediately get out and enjoy the quaint cafes, historic museums, and iconic landmarks that Paris is known for.