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

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

3h 23m

Distance

177.7 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

Hilton Head, SC → HHH 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 18m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

FLO → Darlington, SC 18m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

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

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between HHH and FLO. 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 46m

3h 14m on rail

Total Cost

$33

CO2

10 kg

Route

Palmetto

Door-to-Door Timeline

Hilton Head, SC → Savannah 37m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 194m

Arrival 10m

Florence Amtrak Station → Darlington, SC 15m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $33) $33

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

Stations

From Savannah 25 mi, ~37m drive

To Florence Amtrak Station 10 mi, ~15m 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

4h 4m

2h 55m on road

Total Cost

$18

CO2

10 kg

Route

FlixBus N2472

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 175m

Arrival 10m

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

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $18) $18

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

Stations

From SAV6 — Savannah Bus Station 22 mi, ~34m drive

To FL4 — Florence (SC) 6 mi, ~10m 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 23m	2h 46m	4h 46m	4h 4m
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 Hilton Head, SC to Darlington, SC with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.