Drive or Fly: Surfside Beach, SC to Cool Spring, 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 MYR–MYR. At 32 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

54m

Distance

32.8 mi

Total Cost

$42

CO2

13 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$7

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 49m

3m in the air

Air Distance

27 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

7 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Surfside Beach, SC → MYR 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 3m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MYR → Cool Spring, SC 36m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Surfside Beach, SC MYR — Myrtle Beach International Airport 6 mi, ~10m drive

Cool Spring, SC MYR — Myrtle Beach International Airport 24 mi, ~36m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MYR and MYR. 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 1m

1h 17m on rail

Total Cost

$12

CO2

3 kg

Route

Palmetto

Door-to-Door Timeline

Surfside Beach, SC → Kingstree Amtrak Station 74m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 77m

Arrival 10m

Dillon Amtrak Station → Cool Spring, SC 50m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $12) $12

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

Stations

From Kingstree Amtrak Station 49 mi, ~74m drive

To Dillon Amtrak Station 33 mi, ~50m 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	54m	2h 49m	4h 1m
Total cost (1 person)	$42	$121	$12
Carbon footprint	13 kg CO₂	7 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 15, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Surfside Beach, SC to Cool Spring, SC with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.