Drive or Fly: Hilton Head Island, SC to Saint Stephen, 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–CHS. At 133 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 6m

Distance

133.8 mi

Total Cost

$65

CO2

54 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$30

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 16m

12m in the air

Air Distance

96 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

25 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Hilton Head Island, SC → HHH 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 12m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

CHS → Saint Stephen, SC 54m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

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

Saint Stephen, SC CHS — Charleston International Airport 36 mi, ~54m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between HHH 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

4h 17m

2h 31m on rail

Total Cost

$27

CO2

8 kg

Route

Palmetto

Door-to-Door Timeline

Hilton Head Island, SC → Savannah 38m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 151m

Arrival 10m

Kingstree Amtrak Station → Saint Stephen, SC 28m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $27) $27

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

Stations

From Savannah 25 mi, ~38m drive

To Kingstree Amtrak Station 19 mi, ~28m 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 16m	4h 17m
Total cost (1 person)	$65	$124	$27
Carbon footprint	54 kg CO₂	25 kg CO₂	8 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

133.8 mi 3h 6m

via US 17 Alt, I 95; US 17, SC 462

Alternative (+1 min)

142.6 mi 3h 7m

via US 17, US 52; US 78, SC 170

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