Anderson County Airport, SC to Cheraw, SC is 190.8 miles and takes about 4h 4m via Lancaster Highway and Pageland Highway, with a fuel budget near $30 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within South Carolina, connecting two points in the Southeast region. The route primarily utilizes surface roads, so expect a more relaxed pace compared to interstate travel. It's a manageable drive for a single day, making it a good option if you're looking for a straightforward trip across the state.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
95.4 miles from Anderson County Airport, SC
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 6m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Lancaster Highway
23.6 mi
29m
Golden Strip Freeway
22.9 mi
24m
Pageland Highway
22 mi
25m
Main Street
18.6 mi
21m
Highway 72 East
13.8 mi
15m
West End Road
13.6 mi
20m
Highway 418
9.9 mi
14m
Chesterfield Highway
8.9 mi
10m
Longest stretch:
Lancaster Highway
— 23.6 mi, about 29m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Anderson County Airport, SC and Cheraw, SC.
1
Start on this road
293 ft·21 sec·this road
2
Turn right onto Airport Road
0.7 mi·1 min·Airport Road
3
Turn right onto SC 24
0.7 mi·1 min·Highway 24
4
Continue on SC 24
1.0 mi·1 min·West Whitner Street
5
Turn right onto SC 28
2.2 mi·2 min·Highway 28 Bypass
6
Continue on SC 28
0.5 mi·33 sec·Pearman Dairy Road
7
Turn left onto US 29
0.1 mi·20 sec·South Murray Avenue
8
Turn right onto US 29
2.0 mi·2 min·West Shockley Ferry Road
9
Turn right onto US 29; US 76; US 178
2.6 mi·3 min·East River Street
10
Continue on US 76; US 178
4.7 mi·6 min·Belton Highway
11
Continue on US 76; US 178
2.3 mi·3 min·Anderson Street
12
Turn left onto SC 20
374 ft·14 sec·North Main Street
13
Turn right onto SC 247
1.3 mi·2 min·River Street
14
Continue on SC 247
3.6 mi·4 min·Highway 247
15
Continue on SC 247
5.6 mi·8 min·Cooley Bridge Road
16
At end of road, turn left onto US 25
0.1 mi·13 sec·Augusta Road
17
Turn right onto SC 418
9.9 mi·14 min·Highway 418
18
Continue on SC 418
1.3 mi·2 min·Milacron Drive
19
Continue on SC 418
0.2 mi·19 sec·McCarter Road
20
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·42 sec
21
Merge onto I 385
23 mi·24 min·Golden Strip Freeway
Use the slight right lane.
22
Merge onto I 26
1.4 mi·1 min·I 26
Use the slight right lane.
23
Take the exit
0.2 mi·34 sec
Toward SC 72: Clinton, Whitmire
24
Turn left onto SC 72
14 mi·15 min·Highway 72 East
25
Continue on SC 72
1.0 mi·1 min·Church Street
26
Turn left onto SC 72
1.9 mi·2 min·Union Street
27
Keep slight right at fork onto SC 72; SC 121
8.7 mi·12 min·Carlisle Whitmire Highway
28
Continue on SC 72; SC 121
1.5 mi·2 min·Janie Glymph Goree Boulevard
29
Continue on SC 72; SC 121
1.9 mi·2 min·Carlisle Chester Highway
30
Continue on SC 72; SC 121
14 mi·20 min·West End Road
31
Take the ramp
262 ft·7 sec
32
Merge onto US 321; SC 9; SC 121
3.0 mi·3 min·J A Cochran Bypass
33
Turn right onto SC 9
20 mi·24 min·Lancaster Highway
34
Keep slight right at fork onto SC 9
3.9 mi·4 min·Lancaster Highway
35
Continue on SC 9
5.3 mi·6 min·Lancaster Bypass
36
Take the exit onto SC 9
0.1 mi·18 sec·SC 9
37
Keep slight right at fork onto SC 9
276 ft·7 sec·SC 9
38
Merge onto SC 9
22 mi·25 min·Pageland Highway
39
Continue on SC 9
0.1 mi·7 sec·East Mc Gregor Street
40
Continue on SC 9
0.4 mi·27 sec·McGregor Street
41
Continue on SC 9
19 mi·21 min·Main Street
42
Continue on SC 9
0.2 mi·11 sec·East Main Street
43
Merge onto SC 9
1.5 mi·1 min·East Boulevard
44
Continue on SC 9
8.9 mi·10 min·Chesterfield Highway
Use the left lane.
45
Continue on SC 9
1.0 mi·2 min·Market Street
46
Turn left onto US 1; US 52; SC 9
64 ft·1 sec·2nd Street
47
Arrive at destination
US 1; US 52; SC 9
Trip Plan
Given the 4h 4m estimated driving time, departing in the morning from Anderson County Airport will give you plenty of daylight to reach Cheraw. With only one recommended stop, you can choose to break up the drive around the halfway point or push through to your destination. The fuel cost is estimated at $30, so ensure your tank is sufficiently full before you leave. Keep an eye on your navigation as you move between the main roads like Lancaster Highway and Pageland Highway, as the route is predominantly surface roads.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 95.4 miles from Anderson County Airport, SC, or about 2h 6m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 23.6 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 42 miles or 1h 2m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 95.4 miles or 2h 6m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 23m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Cheraw, SC than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Anderson County Airport, SC so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Anderson County Airport, SC
This is one driving day of about 190.8 miles and 4h 4m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 42 miles from Anderson County Airport, SC.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Lancaster Highway for about 23.6 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 23
5 decision points cluster between mile 16.8 and 138.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
16.8 mi into trip|~25m in|SC 20 / North Main Street
Turn left onto SC 20 / North Main Street
Navigation decision point
5
39.3 mi into trip|~59m in|I 385 / Golden Strip Freeway
Merge onto I 385 / Golden Strip Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
5
62.2 mi into trip|~1h 23m in|I 26
Merge onto I 26
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
5
63.6 mi into trip|~1h 25m in
Take the exit toward SC 72: Clinton, Whitmire
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward SC 72: Clinton, Whitmire
5
138.1 mi into trip|~3h 2m in|SC 9
Keep slight right at fork onto SC 9
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$29.84 one way
$59.67 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg67 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.34
$32.62
$65.25
premium
$4.70
$35.31
$70.63
diesel
$5.61
$42.13
$84.25
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$30
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$55–$80
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 66.8 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $20 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
57.2
0
$20.03
$9.16
Efficient EV
47.7
0
$16.70
$7.63
EV Truck/SUV
76.3
0
$26.71
$12.21
Gas CO2
67 kg
EV CO2
22 kg (67% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Forecast as of Apr 18, 2026
Origin
Anderson County Airport, SC
Morning
in Anderson County Airport on Tuesday
Local time
6:51 AM
EDT
Current temp
85°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Cheraw, SC
Morning
in Cheraw on Tuesday
Local time
6:51 AM
EDT
Current temp
81°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
84°F
Rock Hill, SC
95 mi in
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
4 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
4h 4m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route is mostly surface roads, with only 29% of the drive on highways. You'll spend the majority of your time on local roads, which means a more connected-to-the-landscape feel. The longest stretch without a major road change is 23.6 miles on Lancaster Highway. Be prepared for more frequent intersections and potentially slower speeds as you transition from the limited highway segments to the surface roads.
Only 29% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
47 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 23.6 mi on Lancaster Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 16.8 miles in near SC 20 / North Main Street.
Driving Effort9/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 23 significant decision points across 190.8 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 16.8 miles (SC 20 / North Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 39.3 miles (I 385 / Golden Strip Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 62.2 miles (I 26): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Anderson County Airport, SC to Cheraw, SC, road signs begin pointing toward Whitmire along the way.
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 4m. Total distance: 190.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 4m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 23.6 miles on Lancaster Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 7 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Cheraw, SC before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. There are 7 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 16.8 miles (SC 20 / North Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 39.3 miles (I 385 / Golden Strip Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 62.2 miles (I 26): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Possible but tiring. At 4.1 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.2 hours — manageable with a long break at Cheraw, SC, but most travelers stay overnight.
