Drive or Fly: Darlington, SC to Hilton Head, 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–HHH. At 177 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

3h 22m

Distance

177.4 mi

Total Cost

$74

CO2

72 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$39

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

18m in the air

Air Distance

153 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

39 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Darlington, SC → FLO 18m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 18m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

HHH → Hilton Head, SC 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

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

Hilton Head, SC HHH — Hilton Head Airport 3 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between FLO and HHH. 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

4h 57m

3h 25m on rail

Total Cost

$33

CO2

10 kg

Route

Silver Meteor

Door-to-Door Timeline

Darlington, SC → Florence Amtrak Station 15m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 205m

Arrival 10m

Savannah → Hilton Head, SC 37m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $33) $33

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

Stations

From Florence Amtrak Station 10 mi, ~15m drive

To Savannah 25 mi, ~37m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~8/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 8 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

4h 14m

3h 5m on road

Total Cost

$18

CO2

10 kg

Route

FlixBus N2472

Door-to-Door Timeline

Darlington, SC → Florence (SC) (FL4) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 185m

Arrival 10m

Savannah Bus Station (SAV6) → Hilton Head, SC 34m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $18) $18

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

Stations

From FL4 — Florence (SC) 6 mi, ~10m drive

To SAV6 — Savannah Bus Station 22 mi, ~34m 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	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	3h 22m	2h 46m	4h 57m	4h 14m
Total cost (1 person)	$74	$126	$33	$18
Carbon footprint	72 kg CO₂	39 kg CO₂	10 kg CO₂	10 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, 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 12, 2026.

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