Drive or Fly: Saint Matthews, 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 CAE–HHH. At 129 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

2h 38m

Distance

129 mi

Total Cost

$64

CO2

52 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$29

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 3m

12m in the air

Air Distance

102 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

26 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Saint Matthews, SC → CAE 41m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 12m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

HHH → Hilton Head Island, SC 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Saint Matthews, SC CAE — Columbia Metropolitan Airport 27 mi, ~41m drive

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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

4h 42m

2h 43m on rail

Total Cost

$26

CO2

8 kg

Route

Floridian

Door-to-Door Timeline

Saint Matthews, SC → Columbia Amtrak Station 41m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 163m

Arrival 10m

Savannah → Hilton Head Island, SC 38m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $26) $26

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

Stations

From Columbia Amtrak Station 27 mi, ~41m drive

To Savannah 25 mi, ~38m 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

3h 25m

2h 5m on road

Total Cost

$11

CO2

6 kg

Route

FlixBus 2433

Door-to-Door Timeline

Saint Matthews, SC → Orangeburg (Xpress Travel Center) (ORS6) 21m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 125m

Arrival 10m

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

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $11) $11

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

Stations

From ORS6 — Orangeburg (Xpress Travel Center) 14 mi, ~21m drive

To SAV6 — Savannah Bus Station 23 mi, ~34m 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	2h 38m	3h 3m	4h 42m	3h 25m
Total cost (1 person)	$64	$124	$26	$11
Carbon footprint	52 kg CO₂	26 kg CO₂	8 kg CO₂	6 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 Saint Matthews, SC to Hilton Head Island, SC with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.