I agree, I move that we change the idiom and that pmiller2's remarks be stricken from the record.

Yeah, me too. I didn’t even look twice. And I’m not sure I agree with the advice to use a tired expression rather than something more original.

In Swedish we say ”the bird way”, as in ”it’s x km going the bird way”.

In German we say "the airline" airline is already taken in English.

Air-line, I like it.

In Croatian we use "air distance"... I'm going to be smug about it's more understandable than both (even though I like the Game Of Thrones association when ever I hear "as the crow flies")

But how to know if the bird is flying or driving?

And is it African or European?

Laden or unladen?

No, he said it was a crow, not a swallow

Or if it gets lost along the way. And who says they actually fly in straight lines?

Or swimming :)