Drive or Fly: Saint Andrews, SC to Aiken, 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–AGS. At 52 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 1m

Distance

52 mi

Total Cost

$46

CO2

21 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$11

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 47m

6m in the air

Air Distance

49 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

12 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Saint Andrews, SC → CAE 12m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 6m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

AGS → Aiken, SC 29m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Saint Andrews, SC CAE — Columbia Metropolitan Airport 8 mi, ~12m drive

Aiken, SC AGS — Augusta Regional At Bush Field 19 mi, ~29m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between CAE and AGS. 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

2h 40m

55m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

Floridian

Door-to-Door Timeline

Saint Andrews, SC → Columbia Amtrak Station 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 55m

Arrival 10m

Denmark Amtrak Station → Aiken, SC 55m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $9) $9

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

Stations

From Columbia Amtrak Station 5 mi, ~10m drive

To Denmark Amtrak Station 37 mi, ~55m 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	1h 1m	2h 47m	2h 40m
Total cost (1 person)	$46	$122	$9
Carbon footprint	21 kg CO₂	12 kg CO₂	3 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.

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