Drive or Fly: Rock Hill, SC to Beaufort, 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 CAE–HHH. At 160 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 17m

Distance

160 mi

Total Cost

$70

CO2

65 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$35

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 13m

16m in the air

Air Distance

130 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

33 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Rock Hill, SC → CAE 35m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 16m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

HHH → Beaufort, SC 22m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Rock Hill, SC CAE — Columbia Metropolitan Airport 23 mi, ~35m drive

Beaufort, SC HHH — Hilton Head Airport 14 mi, ~22m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between CAE 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

5h 7m

3h 10m on road

Total Cost

$15

CO2

8 kg

Route

FlixBus 2433

Door-to-Door Timeline

Rock Hill, SC → Elgin Bus Stop (ELN6) 40m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 190m

Arrival 10m

Savannah Bus Station (SAV6) → Beaufort, SC 52m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $15) $15

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

Stations

From ELN6 — Elgin Bus Stop 27 mi, ~40m drive

To SAV6 — Savannah Bus Station 35 mi, ~52m 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	3h 17m	3h 13m	5h 7m
Total cost (1 person)	$70	$125	$15
Carbon footprint	65 kg CO₂	33 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: 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 15, 2026.

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