Drive or Fly: Winnsboro, SC to Sumter, 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–FLO. At 75 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 32m

Distance

75.6 mi

Total Cost

$52

CO2

31 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$17

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 52m

6m in the air

Air Distance

53 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

14 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Winnsboro, SC → CAE 46m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 6m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

FLO → Sumter, SC 60m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Winnsboro, SC CAE — Columbia Metropolitan Airport 31 mi, ~46m drive

Sumter, SC FLO — Florence Regional Airport 40 mi, ~60m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between CAE 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

2h 41m

39m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Floridian

Door-to-Door Timeline

Winnsboro, SC → Columbia Amtrak Station 40m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 39m

Arrival 10m

Camden Amtrak Station → Sumter, SC 42m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $6) $6

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

Stations

From Columbia Amtrak Station 27 mi, ~40m drive

To Camden Amtrak Station 28 mi, ~42m 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 32m	3h 52m	2h 41m
Total cost (1 person)	$52	$122	$6
Carbon footprint	31 kg CO₂	14 kg CO₂	2 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.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

75.6 mi 1h 31m

via US 521, I 20, I 77

Shortest (+0 min)

72.8 mi 1h 32m

via US 76; US 378, I 77, SC 34

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