View source for Columbia Metropolitan Airport

{{Short description|Airport in South Carolina, United States}}
{{About||the [[World War II]] use of the airport|Columbia Army Air Base}}
{{Use American English|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox airport
| name                = Columbia Metropolitan Airport
| image               = Columbia Metropolitan Airport logo.jpg
| image2              = Columbia Metropolitan Airport - South Carolina.jpg
| image2-width        = 250
| IATA                = CAE
| ICAO                = KCAE
| FAA                 = CAE
| type                = Public
| owner-oper          = Richland-Lexington Airport District
| city-served         = [[Columbia, South Carolina]], U.S.
| hub                 = [[UPS Airlines]]
| location            = [[West Columbia, South Carolina]], U.S.
| elevation-f         = 236
| elevation-m         = 72
| coordinates         = {{Coord|33|56|20|N|081|07|10|W|region:US_type:airport|display=inline,title}}
| website             = {{URL|flycae.com}}
| mapframe            = yes
| built               = 1940
| r1-number           = 5/23
| r1-length-f         = 8,001
| r1-length-m         = 2,439
| r1-surface          = Asphalt/concrete
| r2-number           = 11/29
| r2-length-f         = 8,601
| r2-length-m         = 2,622
| r2-surface          = Asphalt
| h1-number           = H1
| h1-length-f         = 50
| h1-length-m         = 15
| h1-surface          = Concrete
| stat-year           = 2023
| stat1-header        = Commercial passengers
| stat1-data          = 1,234,487
| stat2-header        = Enplaned passengers
| stat2-data          = 607,481
| stat3-header        = Freight/mail (lb.)
| stat3-data          = 143.518 million (2022)
| footnotes           = Source: [[Federal Aviation Administration]]<ref name=FAA>{{FAA-airport|ID=CAE|use=PU|own=PU|site=22209.*A}}, effective November 28, 2024.</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://flycae.com/cae-welcomes-over-1-2-million-passengers-2023-year-in-review|title=CAE Airport Data for 2023|website=flycae.com|date=February 2024 |access-date=February 12, 2024}}</ref>
}}
'''Columbia Metropolitan Airport''' {{Airport codes|CAE|KCAE|CAE}} is the main commercial airport for [[Columbia, South Carolina|Columbia]] and the [[Midlands of South Carolina|Midlands]] region of [[South Carolina]], United States. The airport is located in unincorporated [[Lexington County, South Carolina|Lexington County]], southwest of Columbia.  Although it has a [[West Columbia, South Carolina|West Columbia]] mailing address,<ref name=FAA /> the airport is not within that city's boundaries.  The city of [[Cayce, South Carolina|Cayce]] and the towns of [[Springdale, Lexington County, South Carolina|Springdale]], [[Pine Ridge, South Carolina|Pine Ridge]], and [[South Congaree, South Carolina|South Congaree]] surround the airport, separating the airport from West Columbia.  The airport is a regional cargo hub for [[UPS Airlines]].

==History==

===World War II era===
The airport was built in 1940 as Lexington County Airport. In 1940, the [[United States Army Air Corps]] indicated a need for the airfield as part of the buildup of its forces after World War II began in Europe. The earliest recorded Air Corps use of the airport was when the [[105th Airlift Squadron|105th Observation Squadron]] began flying [[Douglas O-38]] and [[North American O-47]] light observation aircraft on 24 September.{{Year needed|date=November 2014}}

In 1941, the airport came under formal military control, and an immediate program began to turn the civil airport into a military airfield. On 8 December 1941, as the '''Columbia Army Air Base''', Columbia Army Airfield's mission was a training base for [[B-25 Mitchell]] crews.

One of the earliest units to train at Columbia AAB was the [[17th Training Wing|17th Bombardment Group]], which arrived on 9 February 1942. When the group arrived in Columbia, its combat crews were offered the opportunity to volunteer for an "extremely hazardous" but unspecified mission which ultimately turned out to be the famous [[Doolittle Raid]] on [[Japan]]. Contrary to popular belief, the volunteers who made up the crews of the Doolittle Raid did not train for the raid itself at Columbia.

Training at Columbia Army Air Base was phased down during the summer of 1945. Several units arrived at the base from overseas to inactivate during September and October. It was inactivated by the [[U.S. Army Air Forces]] on 30 November and returned to civil authorities, who converted it back to an airport. The [[350th Bombardment Squadron]] was assigned to Columbia Metropolitan Airport on 16 July 1947 as part of the [[Air Force Reserve]], but it was never equipped or staffed; it was inactivated on 27 June 1949.

===Postwar use===
[[File:Columbia Metropolitian Airport (CAE) 1.jpg|thumb|left|Inside the airport looking toward TSA security]]
[[File:Columbia Metropolitian Airport (CAE) 2.jpg|thumb|left|Inside the airport beyond TSA security]]
[[File:Two Delta aircraft at Columbia Metropolitan Airport.jpg|thumb|240px|right|Columbia Metropolitan Airport 1998]]
Before World War II, Columbia's main civil airport had been [[Jim Hamilton–L.B. Owens Airport|Owens Field]]. However, its location near downtown made expansion impossible. Accordingly, in 1947, most of the area's frontline passenger service relocated to Lexington County Airport, which was renamed Columbia Metropolitan Airport. The city of Columbia built a new terminal at the airport in the early 1950s. It burned down, and a new one was built in its place.

In 1962, the Richland-Lexington Airport District was established to operate the airport. It is governed by a 12-member commission–five nominated by Lexington County's legislative delegation, five nominated by Richland County's legislative delegation, and two nominated by the Columbia city council.

Passenger service began on [[Delta Air Lines]] which has served Columbia for over 70 years. Delta began flights from Columbia to [[Charleston International Airport|Charleston]], [[Asheville Regional Airport|Asheville]], [[Jacksonville International Airport|Jacksonville]], [[Augusta Regional Airport|Augusta]], [[Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport|Savannah]] and [[LaGuardia Airport|New York–La Guardia]]. Delta [[DC-9]] jet flights began March 7, 1966, with Flight 521 from Charleston continuing to [[Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport|Atlanta]].

[[Eastern Airlines]] flew to [[Charlotte/Douglas International Airport|Charlotte]], [[Reagan National Airport|Washington]], and [[John F. Kennedy International Airport|New York]]; it first scheduled jets to CAE in 1965. [[Piedmont Airlines]] flew from Augusta, [[Florence Regional Airport|Florence]], and [[Charlotte/Douglas International Airport|Charlotte]] in 1962. [[Southern Airways]] flew to Charleston and [[Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport|Greenville/Spartanburg]]. In January 1978, Eastern started flights to Atlanta after a route swap with Piedmont Airlines. Southern Airways left in December 1978, six months before their merger with [[North Central Airlines]] to form [[Republic Airlines]]. [[Atlantis Airlines]] started service in 1979 for a brief time using [[Twin Otter]] aircraft. Piedmont Airlines introduced nonstop service to [[Miami International Airport|Miami]] in January 1980, but dropped Columbia in June 1980 leaving only Delta and Eastern for a time.

In November 1982, Piedmont Airlines returned to Columbia with flights to [[Charlotte/Douglas International Airport|Charlotte]] and later [[Newark Liberty International Airport|Newark]]. [[American Airlines]] would start service in 1985 to [[Raleigh–Durham International Airport|Raleigh]] and [[United Airlines]] would fly to [[Charlotte/Douglas International Airport|Charlotte]] and [[O'Hare International Airport|Chicago–O'Hare]]. PeopleExpress and [[Continental Airlines]]. Freedom Airlines operated Convairs to Columbia in 1983. [[United Express]] (operated by [[Atlantic Coast Airlines]]) entered the market May 24, 1999, with service to [[Dulles International Airport|Washington–Dulles]] and added [[O'Hare International Airport|Chicago–O'Hare]] on July 1, 2000. [[Northwest Airlines]] (operated by Pinnacle Airlines) came to Columbia on October 6, 2003, offering service to [[Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport|Detroit]]. On October 30, 2005, [[American Eagle (airline brand)|American Eagle]] returned after a nine-year absence with service to [[Dallas Fort Worth International Airport|Dallas/Fort Worth]] after Delta closed their DFW hub earlier that year. In October 2010, [[US Airways Express]] operated by [[Air Wisconsin]] began non-stops to [[LaGuardia Airport|New York–La Guardia]], but wound up discontinuing it as a result of a New York–La Guardia slot swap with Delta, which now has two daily flights to the airport.

Since 2000, the airport has tried to recruit low-cost carriers, but has been unable to maintain those services. [[Allegiant Air]] tried service to [[Orlando Sanford International Airport|Orlando/Sanford]], [[St. Petersburg–Clearwater International Airport|St. Petersburg/Clearwater]] and [[Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport|Fort Lauderdale]] in [[Florida]], yet these services did not last. [[Allegiant Air]] will resume services to [[Orlando Sanford International Airport|Orlando/Sanford]] and [[Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport|Fort Lauderdale]] in summer 2025.  [[Independence Air]] served Columbia briefly in 2004 and 2005 with service to [[Dulles International Airport|Washington–Dulles]] before ceasing its operations in January 2006. In May 2008, [[Spirit Airlines]] began service to Fort Lauderdale but terminated the route in March 2009. [[Spirit Airlines]] resumed flights to [[Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport|Fort Lauderdale]] in June 2025 but only to end in October 2025. In 2011, [[Vision Airlines]] launched service to [[Destin, Florida]], ending the route after a month.

In 2015, United Airlines CEO [[Jeff Smisek]] was forced to step down after it was revealed that he had continued to run an unprofitable route to the airport from [[Newark Liberty International Airport]] for former [[Port Authority of New York and New Jersey]] chairman [[David Samson (lawyer)|David Samson]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/united-airlines-chief-to-step-down-amid-federal-investigation/2015/09/08/de44c496-566c-11e5-abe9-27d53f250b11_story.html|title=United Airlines chief steps down amid federal investigation|first1=Drew|last1=Harwell|first2=Katie|last2=Zezima|date=8 September 2015|publisher=|via=www.washingtonpost.com}}</ref>
United Airlines will resume the route to [[Newark Liberty International Airport]] in January 2026.

On June 7, 2018, American Airlines restored mainline service to Columbia with two daily nonstop flights to Dallas/Fort Worth.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/flycae/posts/1650693344980633|title=Columbia Metropolitan Airport (CAE)|website=www.facebook.com|language=en|access-date=2018-07-03}}</ref> The airline also announced it would start flights to/from Miami by the end of 2019.

==Facilities==
The airport covers {{convert|2,600|acre|ha}} and has two [[runway]]s: 11/29 is {{cvt|8,601 x 150|ft}} and 5/23 is {{cvt|8,001 x 150|ft}}. It has a {{cvt|50 x 50|ft}} [[helipad]]. The center {{cvt|75|feet}} of runway 5/23 is asphalt; the edges are grooved concrete.<ref name=FAA /><ref>{{cite web|url=https://skyvector.com/airport/CAE/Columbia-Metro-Airport|title=CAE airport data at skyvector.com|website=skyvector.com|access-date=September 16, 2022}}</ref>

The airport is a hub for [[UPS Airlines]] and was a hub for [[Air South (South Carolina)|Air South]], a former [[low-cost carrier]].

For the year ending February 22, 2022 the airport had 63,338 aircraft operations, an average of 174 per day: 46% general aviation, 23% [[air taxi]], 23% airline and 8% military. In November 2023, there were 81 aircraft based at this airport: 44 single-engine, 13 multi-engine, 14 jet, 5 helicopter and 5 gliders.<ref name=FAA />

The terminal opened May 30, 1965, and was renovated in 1997. The renovation was designed by Heyward, Woodrum, Fant & Associates, Ltd.<ref>[http://www.aecinfo.com/1/resourcefile/00/22/64/arcsk05.htm Natural light pours into the Columbia Metropolitan Airport] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050903183919/http://www.aecinfo.com/1/resourcefile/00/22/64/arcsk05.htm |date=2005-09-03 }}</ref> It replaces a terminal built in the early 1950s which was a replacement of a terminal built several years earlier in the early 1950s.<ref>http://www.columbiaairport.com/ airport section, history subsection</ref> Since the late 1980s, capital improvements have been undertaken, including a renovated and expanded terminal, a new [[parking garage]] (completed in 2003), the lengthening of the runways, and better [[Interstate Highway System|interstate]] access. The terminal has several services, including gift shops, the Everett Adams Memorial [[Chapel]], restaurants and bars inside the terminal. Free [[Wi-Fi|wireless internet]] service is provided throughout the airport as well as small number of recharge stations with access to outlets.

Police and fire/rescue services are provided by the Columbia Metro Airport Department of Public Safety. Public safety officers are South Carolina Police Academy Class 1 officers, and South Carolina Fire Academy IFSAC Firefighter II, and Airport Firefighter. Some have basic [[Emergency medical technician|EMT]] certifications. The Department has three ARFF units, one RIV unit, one fire pumper, and a service truck. Law enforcement is covered by four patrol vehicles. The Department provides fire services at the FAR 139 level only. Structural firefighting is handled by Lexington County Fire Service.

==Airlines and destinations==
Passenger service is currently provided by five scheduled airlines, with commercial cargo service being handled by three scheduled airlines and numerous air freight operators. Two fixed-base operators also serve the Metro facility with various charter flights. The airport maintains a newly dedicated air cargo terminal, the Columbia Airport Enterprise Park (CAE Park) and [[Foreign trade zones of the United States|Foreign Trade Zone]] #127. Columbia Metropolitan Airport recently completed a $45 million terminal expansion and renovation. Annually, the airport serves about 1 million passengers, though prior to the Great Recession, nearly 1.5 million passengers were served.<ref>http://www.thestate.com/2014/01/17/3213731/columbia-airport-traffic-increased.html {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140221122904/http://www.thestate.com/2014/01/17/3213731/columbia-airport-traffic-increased.html |date=2014-02-21 }} Columbia airport traffic increased in 2013</ref>

===Passenger=== 
<!-- Please use only independent sources. The airport and airlines itself are not independent sources. -->
{{incomplete list|date=November 2025}}
{{Airport destination list
| [[Allegiant Air]] | [[Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport|Fort Lauderdale]],<ref name="abccolumbia.com">{{cite web |title=Columbia Metropolitan Airport adds Allegiant flights |date=19 November 2024 |url=https://www.abccolumbia.com/2024/11/19/columbia-metropolitan-airport-adds-allegiant-flights/}}</ref> [[Orlando-Sanford International Airport|Orlando/Sanford]]<ref name="abccolumbia.com"/>
| [[United Express]] | [[Newark Liberty International Airport|Newark]] (resumes January 6, 2026){{cn|date=November 2025}}
}}

==Statistics==

===Top destinations===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+'''Busiest domestic routes from CAE (August 2024 – July 2025)'''<ref name="BTS">{{cite web | url = https://www.transtats.bts.gov/airports.asp?20=E | title = Columbia, SC: Columbia Metropolitan (CAE) | date = June 2022 | accessdate = October 29, 2025}}</ref>
! Rank
! City
! Passengers
! Carriers
|-
| 1
|  [[Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport|Atlanta, Georgia]]
| 226,160
| Delta
|-
| 2
|  [[Charlotte/Douglas International Airport|Charlotte, North Carolina]]
| 137,900
| American
|-
| 3
| [[Dallas Fort Worth International Airport|Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas]]
| 69,620
| American
|-
| 4
|  [[LaGuardia Airport|New York-LaGuardia, New York]]
| 51,200
| American, Delta
|-
| 5
|  [[Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport|Washington–National, D.C.]]
| 51,080
| American
|-
| 6
| [[O'Hare International Airport|Chicago–O'Hare, Illinois]]
| 43,510
| American, United
|-
| 7
| [[Dulles International Airport|Washington–Dulles, D.C.]]
| 38,660
| United
|-
| 8
|  [[Philadelphia International Airport|Philadelphia, Pennsylvania]]
| 27,070
| American
|-
| 9
|  [[Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport|Fort Lauderdale, Florida]]
| 4,480
| Allegiant, Spirit
|-
| 10
|  [[Orlando International Airport|Orlando–International, Florida]]
| 2,560
| Spirit
|}

===Airline market share===
{| class="wikitable sortable" 
|+ '''Largest airlines serving CAE (August 2024 – July 2025) '''<ref name="BTS CAE">{{cite web | url = https://www.transtats.bts.gov/airports.asp?20=E | title = Columbia, SC: Columbia Metropolitan (CAE) | date = June 2022 | accessdate = October 25, 2025}}</ref>
|-
!Rank
!Airline
!Passengers
!Share
|-
|1
| [[Delta Air Lines]]
|345,000
|26.01%
|-
|2
| [[PSA Airlines]]
|239,000
|18.06%
|-
|3
|[[Piedmont Airlines]]
|187,000
|14.15%
|-
|4
|[[Endeavor Air]]
|176,000
|13.27%
|-
|5
|[[American Airlines]]
|91,510
|6.90%
|-
|
|Other
|286,000
|21.61%
|}

===Annual traffic===
{| class="wikitable"
|+ CAE Airport annual traffic 2004–present<ref>{{cite web|url=https://flycae.com/business/by-the-numbers|title=CAE Airport Annual Activity Data 2004-Present|website=flycae.com|date=7 August 2019 |accessdate= June 25, 2024}}</ref>
!Year
!Passengers
!Year
!Passengers
!Year
!Passengers
|-
|2004||1,247,862||2014||1,034,133||2024||1,362,374
|-
|2005||1,462,933||2015||1,102,011||2025
|-
|2006||1,289,667||2016||1,132,329||2026
|-
|2007||1,234,547||2017||1,077,188||2027
|-
|2008||1,149,682||2018||1,197,603||2028
|-
|2009||1,051,348||2019||1,353,788||2029
|-
|2010||1,003,375||2020||577,187||2030
|-
|2011||996,158||2021||870,806||2031
|-
|2012||1,014,749||2022||1,063,630||2032
|-
|2013||1,018,226||2023||1,234,487||2033
|}

==Southeastern regional cargo hub==
{{unsourced section|date=November 2025}}
In August 1996, the [[UPS Airlines]]-owned cargo airline opened an $80 million southeastern regional hub at the airport, one of six regional hubs throughout the United States. The hub offers next-day, second-day and third-day air service. The buildings encompass {{convert|352000|sqft|m2}} and the {{convert|44|acre|m2|adj=on}} ramp is large enough to hold 22 [[DC-8]] aircraft. The hub can process 42,000 packages an hour. Other major air cargo companies serving the airport include [[ABX Air]] and [[FedEx Express]].

==Accidents and incidents==
*A [[Volpar 18]] ([[Aircraft registration|registration]] {{Airreg|N|47A}}) crashed on February 26, 1971 while attempting to land at the airport. The aircraft crashed in poor visibility and fog while performing a [[missed approach]], killing the pilot and seven passengers.<ref>[[National Transportation Safety Board]]. [https://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_id=59417&key=0 MIA71AM076]</ref>
*A [[Beechcraft C90 King Air]] ({{Airreg|N|711FC}}) crashed on December 20, 1973 while attempting to land at the airport. The aircraft collided with trees after descending below [[Decision height#Minimum Descent Height or Altitude|minimum descent altitude]] in poor visibility. The pilot and a passenger were killed and another passenger was seriously injured.<ref>[[National Transportation Safety Board]]. [https://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_id=83835&key=0 MIA74AM049].</ref>
*A [[Learjet 60]] ({{Airreg|N|999LJ}}) [[2008 South Carolina Learjet 60 crash|crashed on September 19, 2008]] while attempting a [[rejected takeoff]] on runway 11, crashing instead into the hillside across a road beyond the end of the runway. Four people died in the accident, including the two pilots. The sole survivors were musicians [[Travis Barker]] of [[Blink 182]] and DJ [[DJ AM|Adam Goldstein]], who died a year later.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.today.com/id/26803108|title=Crew in crash died of burns, smoke inhalation|date=22 September 2008|publisher=|access-date=18 November 2019|archive-date=2 December 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141202204838/http://www.today.com/id/26803108|url-status=dead}}</ref>
*On December 20, 2020, a [[Western Global Airlines]] Boeing 747 lost a wingtip on its right wing while taxiing before take-off at Columbia Metropolitan Airport, for a flight to [[Ontario International Airport]] in [[Ontario, California]]. No one aboard was reported injured.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://airwaysmag.com/airlines/western-global-boeing-747-loses-wingtip/|title=Western Global Boeing 747-400 Loses Wingtip at Columbia|work=Airways Magazine |date=20 December 2020}}</ref>
*On August 12, 2025, a [[Velocity XL]] ({{Airreg|N|7778M}}) en route from [[Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport]] crashed when its front landing gear collapsed upon landing on runway 11, shutting down airport operations for hours. The plane sustained heavy damage but pilot survived with minor injuries.

== See also ==
* [[List of airports in South Carolina]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* [http://www.flycae.com/ Columbia Metropolitan Airport], official site
* {{FAA-diagram|00089}}
* {{FAA-procedures|CAE}}
{{US-airport|CAE}}

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[[Category:1940 establishments in South Carolina]]
[[Category:Airports established in 1940]]
[[Category:Airports in South Carolina]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Lexington County, South Carolina]]
[[Category:Transportation in Columbia, South Carolina]]
[[Category:Special economic zones of the United States]]