Drive or Fly: Hilton Head Island, SC to Beaufort, 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 HHH–HHH. At 40 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

55m

Distance

40 mi

Total Cost

$44

CO2

16 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$9

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 34m

2m in the air

Air Distance

17 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

4 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Hilton Head Island, SC → HHH 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 2m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

HHH → Beaufort, SC 22m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

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

Beaufort, SC HHH — Hilton Head Airport 14 mi, ~22m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between HHH 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

2h 34m

45m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

Silver Meteor

Door-to-Door Timeline

Hilton Head Island, SC → Savannah 38m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 45m

Arrival 10m

Yemassee Amtrak → Beaufort, SC 31m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $9) $9

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

Stations

From Savannah 25 mi, ~38m drive

To Yemassee Amtrak 21 mi, ~31m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~12/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 12 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	55m	2h 34m	2h 34m
Total cost (1 person)	$44	$121	$9
Carbon footprint	16 kg CO₂	4 kg CO₂	3 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 Hilton Head Island, SC to Beaufort, SC with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.