Drive or Fly: Hilton Head Island, SC to Cane Savannah, 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–CAE. At 154 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

3h 6m

Distance

154.9 mi

Total Cost

$69

CO2

63 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$34

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 22m

14m in the air

Air Distance

119 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

30 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Hilton Head Island, SC → HHH 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 14m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

CAE → Cane Savannah, SC 58m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

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

Cane Savannah, SC CAE — Columbia Metropolitan Airport 39 mi, ~58m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between HHH 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

5h 17m

3h 20m on rail

Total Cost

$31

CO2

9 kg

Route

Floridian

Door-to-Door Timeline

Hilton Head Island, SC → Savannah 38m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 200m

Arrival 10m

Camden Amtrak Station → Cane Savannah, SC 39m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $31) $31

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

Stations

From Savannah 25 mi, ~38m drive

To Camden Amtrak Station 26 mi, ~39m 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	3h 6m	3h 22m	5h 17m
Total cost (1 person)	$69	$125	$31
Carbon footprint	63 kg CO₂	30 kg CO₂	9 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 Cane Savannah, SC with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.