Drive or Fly: Summerville, SC to Dillon, 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 CHS–FLO. At 139 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

2h 35m

Distance

139.7 mi

Total Cost

$66

CO2

56 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$31
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 9m

13m in the air

Air Distance

107 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

27 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Summerville, SC → CHS 17m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 13m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
FLO → Dillon, SC 39m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Summerville, SC CHS — Charleston International Airport 12 mi, ~17m drive
Dillon, SC FLO — Florence Regional Airport 26 mi, ~39m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between CHS and FLO. 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

3h 23m

2h 12m on rail

Total Cost

$23

CO2

7 kg

Route

Palmetto

Door-to-Door Timeline

Summerville, SC → Charleston Amtrak Station 21m
Boarding 30m
Train ride 132m
Arrival 10m
Dillon Amtrak Station → Dillon, SC 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $23) $23

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

Stations

From Charleston Amtrak Station 14 mi, ~21m drive
To Dillon Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~10m 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 2h 35m 3h 9m 3h 23m
Total cost (1 person) $66 $124 $23
Carbon footprint 56 kg CO2 27 kg CO2 7 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 12, 2026.

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