Drive or Fly: Brookdale, SC to Sumter, 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 CAE–FLO. At 64 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 18m

Distance

64.2 mi

Total Cost

$49

CO2

26 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$14

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 57m

5m in the air

Air Distance

40 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

10 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Brookdale, SC → CAE 52m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 5m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

FLO → Sumter, SC 60m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Brookdale, SC CAE — Columbia Metropolitan Airport 34 mi, ~52m drive

Sumter, SC FLO — Florence Regional Airport 40 mi, ~60m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between CAE and FLO. 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

3h 52m

1h 57m on rail

Total Cost

$14

CO2

4 kg

Route

Floridian

Door-to-Door Timeline

Brookdale, SC → Denmark Amtrak Station 33m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 117m

Arrival 10m

Camden Amtrak Station → Sumter, SC 42m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $14) $14

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

Stations

From Denmark Amtrak Station 22 mi, ~33m drive

To Camden Amtrak Station 28 mi, ~42m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~2/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 2 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	1h 18m	3h 57m	3h 52m
Total cost (1 person)	$49	$122	$14
Carbon footprint	26 kg CO₂	10 kg CO₂	4 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 Apr 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

64.2 mi 1h 18m

via I 95, US 521, US 301

Shortest (+9 min)

58.7 mi 1h 27m

via US 601, US 76; US 378, US 76 Business

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