Drive or Fly: Charleston, SC to Darlington, 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 CHS–FLO. At 139 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

2h 39m

Distance

139.7 mi

Total Cost

$66

CO2

56 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$31

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 46m

13m in the air

Air Distance

105 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

27 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Charleston, SC → CHS 15m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 13m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

FLO → Darlington, SC 18m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

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

Darlington, SC FLO — Florence Regional Airport 12 mi, ~18m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between CHS 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

2h 41m

1h 34m on rail

Total Cost

$19

CO2

5 kg

Route

Palmetto

Door-to-Door Timeline

Charleston, SC → Charleston Amtrak Station 12m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 94m

Arrival 10m

Florence Amtrak Station → Darlington, SC 15m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $19) $19

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

Stations

From Charleston Amtrak Station 8 mi, ~12m drive

To Florence Amtrak Station 10 mi, ~15m 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	2h 39m	2h 46m	2h 41m
Total cost (1 person)	$66	$124	$19
Carbon footprint	56 kg CO₂	27 kg CO₂	5 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 12, 2026.

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