Drive or Fly: Manning, SC to Columbia, 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 FLO–CAE. At 62 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 22m

Distance

62.7 mi

Total Cost

$49

CO2

25 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$14

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

6m in the air

Air Distance

52 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

13 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Manning, SC → FLO 66m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 6m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

CAE → Columbia, SC 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Manning, SC FLO — Florence Regional Airport 44 mi, ~66m drive

Columbia, SC CAE — Columbia Metropolitan Airport 7 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between FLO 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

2h 48m

1h on road

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

FlixBus 2433

Door-to-Door Timeline

Manning, SC → Orangeburg (Xpress Travel Center) (ORS6) 62m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 60m

Arrival 10m

Elgin Bus Stop (ELN6) → Columbia, SC 21m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $5) $5

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

Stations

From ORS6 — Orangeburg (Xpress Travel Center) 41 mi, ~62m drive

To ELN6 — Elgin Bus Stop 14 mi, ~21m 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	Bus
Door-to-door time	1h 22m	3h 22m	2h 48m
Total cost (1 person)	$49	$122	$5
Carbon footprint	25 kg CO₂	13 kg CO₂	2 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: 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

62.7 mi 1h 22m

via US 76; US 378, US 301; US 521, US 521

Alternative (+10 min)

77.4 mi 1h 32m

via US 521, I 20, US 301; US 521

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Manning, SC to Columbia, SC with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.