For most travelers, Southwest is the value way into the Lowcountry. It has served Savannah/Hilton Head International (SAV) since 2021, and the airport sits a comfortable 45-minute drive from the island’s gates. Below: why SAV beats the on-island field for most trips, the perks that actually matter for a beach week, and how to handle an award flight on Rapid Rewards.
Hilton Head Island Airport (HHH) is a small regional field with limited service and higher fares. Savannah/Hilton Head International (SAV) is the practical gateway: far more nonstop routes, Southwest service, and a straightforward 45-minute, ~32-mile drive up US-278 to the island. Pick up a rental car at the airport — the island is 12 miles long, and most beaches, restaurants, and golf courses aren’t walkable from any single base.
Southwest is the only major US airline that still checks two bags per passenger at no charge. For a beach week — beach chairs, a pack-and-play, a cooler of low-country provisions — that alone can save a family of four $140–$280 round-trip versus a bag-fee carrier.
Plans shift. Southwest lets you change or cancel and keep the difference as travel funds — useful when a hurricane-season forecast wobbles or a wedding date moves. Pair it with travel insurance for non-refundable lodging.
Southwest serves Savannah/Hilton Head International (SAV) nonstop from a rotating set of its hubs. Routes are seasonal — check southwest.com for current nonstops from your home city before defaulting to a connection.
This page contains affiliate links — we may earn a commission if you book through them, at no extra cost to you.
Not directly — Hilton Head Island Airport (HHH) is a small regional field. Southwest flies into Savannah/Hilton Head International (SAV), about 45 minutes and 32 miles from the island. SAV is the practical gateway for most Hilton Head trips, and Southwest has served it since 2021.
For Southwest and for most travelers, fly into Savannah/Hilton Head International (SAV). It has far more nonstop routes and lower fares than the on-island HHH field. The trade-off is a 45-minute drive to the island. HHH only makes sense if you find a convenient direct flight on a regional carrier and prize the shorter transfer.
It is a straightforward 45-minute, ~32-mile drive up US-278. A rental car is the most flexible option — the island is 12 miles long and most beaches, restaurants, and golf courses are not walkable from a single base. Car services and rideshares also run the route if you would rather not drive.
Yes. Southwest award flights to SAV book through Rapid Rewards like any other route, with no blackout dates and the same two-free-bags benefit. If you're a little short on points for the award you want, you can buy, gift, or transfer Rapid Rewards points to top off your balance.
It depends on origin. From within the Southeast (Atlanta, Charlotte, Raleigh), driving usually wins on cost. From farther out, a Southwest fare into SAV plus a rental car is often competitive once you factor in two free checked bags and no change fees. See our full cost breakdown to model your trip.
Three minutes of questions. One business day until we come back with a quote. No sales pitch. The trip gets built for you, not for whatever the algorithm happens to be boosting this week.
