Drive or Fly: Ninety Six, SC to Charleston, 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 GSP–CHS. At 178 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 42m

Distance

178.6 mi

Total Cost

$74

CO2

72 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

3h 51m

19m in the air

Air Distance

155 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

39 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Ninety Six, SC → GSP 77m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 19m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

CHS → Charleston, SC 15m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

Ninety Six, SC GSP — Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport 51 mi, ~77m drive

Charleston, SC CHS — Charleston International Airport 10 mi, ~15m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between GSP and CHS. 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

9h 29m

7h 45m on road

Total Cost

$12

CO2

6 kg

Route

Greyhound US0641

Door-to-Door Timeline

Ninety Six, SC → Aiken (AKA6) 67m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 465m

Arrival 10m

Charleston Bus Station (CSE6) → Charleston, SC 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $12) $12

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

Stations

From AKA6 — Aiken 45 mi, ~67m drive

To CSE6 — Charleston Bus Station 8 mi, ~12m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~7/week

+ Usually the cheapest option

+ Wi-Fi and power outlets on board

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 7 trips per week

− Travel time longer than driving

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Bus
Door-to-door time	3h 42m	3h 51m	9h 29m
Total cost (1 person)	$74	$126	$12
Carbon footprint	72 kg CO₂	39 kg CO₂	6 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: FlixBus 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 Apr 21, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

178.6 mi 3h 41m

via I 26, SC 34, SC 121

Shortest (+8 min)

169 mi 3h 50m

via I 26, US 178, US 178; SC 39

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Ninety Six, SC to Charleston, SC with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.