Drive or Fly: Cheraw, SC to Columbia, 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 FLO–CAE. At 89 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 5m

Distance

89.9 mi

Total Cost

$55

CO2

36 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$20

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 15m

10m in the air

Air Distance

81 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

21 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Cheraw, SC → FLO 55m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 10m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

CAE → Columbia, SC 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Cheraw, SC FLO — Florence Regional Airport 37 mi, ~55m drive

Columbia, SC CAE — Columbia Metropolitan Airport 7 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between FLO 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

3h 27m

2h 12m on rail

Total Cost

$20

CO2

6 kg

Route

Floridian

Door-to-Door Timeline

Cheraw, SC → Hamlet Amtrak Station 25m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 132m

Arrival 10m

Columbia Amtrak Station → Columbia, SC 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $20) $20

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

Stations

From Hamlet Amtrak Station 17 mi, ~25m drive

To Columbia Amtrak Station 1 mi, ~10m 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 5m	3h 15m	3h 27m
Total cost (1 person)	$55	$123	$20
Carbon footprint	36 kg CO₂	21 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: 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

89.9 mi 2h 4m

via US 1, I 20, SC 277

Alternative (+20 min)

114.2 mi 2h 25m

via SC 9, I 77, SC 200

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