Drive or Fly: Jackson, SC to Hilton Head Island, 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 MYR–HHH. At 178 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

4h 10m

Distance

178.2 mi

Total Cost

$75

CO2

72 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$40

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 55m

15m in the air

Air Distance

127 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

32 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Jackson, SC → MYR 30m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 15m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

HHH → Hilton Head Island, SC 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Jackson, SC MYR — Myrtle Beach International Airport 20 mi, ~30m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MYR 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

5h 2m

2h 47m on rail

Total Cost

$27

CO2

8 kg

Route

Silver Meteor

Door-to-Door Timeline

Jackson, SC → Kingstree Amtrak Station 57m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 167m

Arrival 10m

Savannah → Hilton Head Island, SC 38m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $27) $27

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

Stations

From Kingstree Amtrak Station 38 mi, ~57m drive

To Savannah 25 mi, ~38m 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	4h 10m	2h 55m	5h 2m
Total cost (1 person)	$75	$125	$27
Carbon footprint	72 kg CO₂	32 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 13, 2026.

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