Drive or Fly: Hilton Head Island, SC to Saint Andrews, SC?

Side-by-side comparison of driving versus flying for this route. Costs, time, and trade-offs at a glance.

Driving wins

Medium

No scheduled commercial flights found for HHH–CAE. At 160 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 9m

Distance

160.4 mi

Total Cost

$74

CO2

65 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$39

Hotel (1 room, 0 nights) $0

Meals (1 pax, 1 day) $35

+ No luggage restrictions or TSA lines

+ Comfortable one-day drive

+ Stop anywhere along the route

+ Have your own car at the destination

+ Likely faster door-to-door than flying

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

2h 38m

16m in the air

Air Distance

130 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

33 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Hilton Head Island, SC → HHH 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 16m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

CAE → Saint Andrews, SC 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Hilton Head Island, SC HHH — Hilton Head Airport 3 mi, ~10m drive

Saint Andrews, SC CAE — Columbia Metropolitan Airport 8 mi, ~12m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between HHH and CAE. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Less physical fatigue

+ Predictable arrival time

− Airport security and check-in overhead

− No scheduled commercial flights found for this route

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

4h 25m

2h 45m on rail

Total Cost

$26

CO2

9 kg

Route

Floridian

Door-to-Door Timeline

Hilton Head Island, SC → Savannah (SAV) 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 165m

Arrival 10m

Columbia Amtrak Station (CLB) → Saint Andrews, SC 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $26) $26

Estimated based on distance. Check amtrak.com for current prices.

Stations

From SAV — Savannah 0 mi, ~30m drive

To CLB — Columbia Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~4/week

+ Spacious seating with legroom and power outlets

+ Walk around freely during the trip

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 4 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	3h 9m	2h 38m	4h 25m
Total cost (1 person)	$74	$125	$26
Carbon footprint	65 kg CO₂	33 kg CO₂	9 kg CO₂
Flexibility	High	Low
Luggage	Unlimited	Restricted
Reliability	Weather dependent	Data unavailable

Drive data: OSRM routing, EIA fuel prices

Flight data: Statistical estimate

Airports: OurAirports

Transit: Amtrak GTFS — fares estimated

Confidence: Medium — airports identified, fares estimated

Costs are estimates. Actual flight prices vary by airline, date, and booking time. Drive costs based on OSRM routing, EIA fuel prices. Computed Oct 20, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

160.4 mi 3h 8m

via I 26, I 95; US 17, SC 462

Shortest (+22 min)

155.9 mi 3h 30m

via US 321, SC 462, US 278; SC 462

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Hilton Head Island, SC to Saint Andrews, SC with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.