Drive or Fly: Clearwater, 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 AGS–CHS. At 145 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 15m

Distance

145.4 mi

Total Cost

$67

CO2

59 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$32

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 45m

15m in the air

Air Distance

124 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

32 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Clearwater, SC → AGS 15m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 15m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

CHS → Charleston, SC 15m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Clearwater, SC AGS — Augusta Regional At Bush Field 10 mi, ~15m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between AGS 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

8h 39m

7h 45m on road

Total Cost

$12

CO2

6 kg

Route

Greyhound US0641

Door-to-Door Timeline

Clearwater, SC → Aiken (AKA6) 17m

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 11 mi, ~17m 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 15m	2h 45m	8h 39m
Total cost (1 person)	$67	$125	$12
Carbon footprint	59 kg CO₂	32 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 15, 2026.

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