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CAEKCAE

Columbia Metropolitan Airport

Columbia, US

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CAEKCAEMinor

Columbia Metropolitan Airport

Columbia, United States · North America

A small single-concourse Midlands field that is easy once you respect the 3:45 a.m.–8:00 p.m. TSA clock — three hub airlines, no lounge, and $12 surface parking after Allegiant left in May 2026.

Airportist Score

7.0/ 10

Solid

Ease of use8.5
Comfort & amenities7.4
Food & retail7.0
Ground access7.2
Reliability7.0
Lounges2.0

How the score works

An editorial 0–10 score. The overall is exactly the weighted sum of six traveler categories — not a Google rating and not a poll.

25%Ease of use — Wayfinding, security wait, and layout.
20%Comfort & amenities — Seating, Wi-Fi, cleanliness, and quiet.
15%Food & retail — Food and retail quality and variety.
15%Ground access — Transit, taxi, and parking to the city.
15%Reliability — Delays, cancellations, and weather resilience.
10%Lounges — Worth-it density and access quality.

Compare CAE with another airport

All airports

CAEKCAEMinor

Columbia Metropolitan Airport

Columbia, United States · North America

A small single-concourse Midlands field that is easy once you respect the 3:45 a.m.–8:00 p.m. TSA clock — three hub airlines, no lounge, and $12 surface parking after Allegiant left in May 2026.

Airportist Score

7.0/ 10

Solid

Ease of use8.5
Comfort & amenities7.4
Food & retail7.0
Ground access7.2
Reliability7.0
Lounges2.0

How the score works

An editorial 0–10 score. The overall is exactly the weighted sum of six traveler categories — not a Google rating and not a poll.

25%Ease of use — Wayfinding, security wait, and layout.
20%Comfort & amenities — Seating, Wi-Fi, cleanliness, and quiet.
15%Food & retail — Food and retail quality and variety.
15%Ground access — Transit, taxi, and parking to the city.
15%Reliability — Delays, cancellations, and weather resilience.
10%Lounges — Worth-it density and access quality.

Compare CAE with another airport

Arrive

Security

Fastest

Cheapest

Lounges

On time

Flying from Columbia?

Enter your flight for a door-to-door plan: when to leave, security, the lounge you can use and your gate. No account needed.

6 photos

CAEGuide

Most important tips

Know before you go

A compact traveler cheat sheet for timing, terminals, food, and disruption checks.

Timing

Arrive 2 hours — TSA 3:45 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Official TSA page: checkpoint 3:45 a.m.–8:00 p.m. daily. Official clock is 2 hours domestic / 3 hours international leftover; the same page also prints 90 minutes to two hours.

Official pages show a wait-time widget but do not print a standing numeric tile in the HTML. American.com leftover counter 3:30 a.m.–8:00 p.m.; Delta 3:45 a.m.–8:00 p.m.; United 4:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m. FAQ leftover Delta to 7:00 p.m. / United 4:30 a.m. is leftover. Experience CAE Guest Pass is 4:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m. and cannot use PreCheck.

Layout

One concourse, one TSA, no second building

Official terminal page: easy single-concourse civil building. Ticketing up; bags and rentals down. Official pages do not print a live gate-to-airline map.

Checkpoint modernization finished November 2025 (official SCAA award). WIS leftover: about $10 million, two added lanes, free seating rooms and an outdoor patio past TSA. July 2022 Commons interiors are pre-expansion. IATA is CAE — do not look for KCAE, CUB, or an Army Air Base hall.

Food

Eat after TSA — Runway Food Court is the named kitchen

Official amenities: Runway Food Court past TSA (Jimmy John’s, Samuel Adams Columbia Brewhouse, Dunkin’). Red Eye Express is just past TSA. Landside is Friendly Caterer To-Go in the Grand Hall.

Official pages do not print airside clock hours or a bottle price. Friendly Caterer To-Go phone orders 7:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m. at 803-822-0015. Dining questions 803-822-5906. Paradies shops sit on both sides of TSA.

Live checks

Three airlines; no lounge; Surface Lot $12

Live official carriers are American, Delta, and United. Official pages have no club. Drive-up Surface Lot is $12/day; garage $17; valet $25.

American ORD restart was 21 May 2026 (two daily E170s on the January press card). Miami is stamped seasonal. Allegiant left 4 May 2026. Homepage CBP card still says Opening Soon — the 31 Jul 2026 ribbon said first weeks of August for cargo / GA, not a scheduled international passenger airline.

Live conditions

Right now at CAE

Security waits and operational status from official feeds, where the airport publishes them.

Honest verdict

Who this airport works for

Best for

Columbia and Midlands travelers who would otherwise drive to CLT or CHS
American, Delta, or United hub connections from one concourse
Drivers who will use the $12 Surface Lot or pre-book the garage

Watch out for

Official TSA clock is 2 hours / checkpoint closes 8:00 p.m. — not a 24-hour lane
No passenger lounge — the Business Center and Nov 2025 rooms are free public space, not Priority Pass
Official CAE pages do not print The COMET Route 91 number or $2 fare

Airportist Score

Why this score

Overall is the published weighted sum of six categories. No holistic fudge on top.

Ease of use · 25%

Wayfinding, security wait, and layout.

8.5

Comfort & amenities · 20%

Seating, Wi-Fi, cleanliness, and quiet.

7.4

Food & retail · 15%

Food and retail quality and variety.

7.0

Ground access · 15%

Transit, taxi, and parking to the city.

7.2

Reliability · 15%

Delays, cancellations, and weather resilience.

7.0

Lounges · 10%

Worth-it density and access quality.

2.0

Key stats

Editorial reference figures, not live readings.

Annual passengers

1,370,479

Terminals

On-time departures

74%

Typical security

15 min

Guide quick facts

From the editorial guide for CAE.

Updated Sep 13, 2026

Official December 2025 activity PDF: **1,370,479** total passengers (enplaned **675,081** / deplaned leftover on the monthly cells). Jan 29 2026 press reprints **1,371,977** vs 2024 **1,362,374** — do not mix the press total with the PDF. FAA prelim CY 2025 enplanements **662,756** (rank **126**, +1.27% vs **654,460**) are boardings only — do not mix. Wikipedia reprints the PDF **1,370,479** / **675,081** and freight **79,232,000 lbs**.
Owner / operator **Richland-Lexington Airport District** (special-purpose district of South Carolina; 12 commissioners). Live commission page (13 Sep 2026): Chairwoman **Elizabeth Taylor**; Lexington **Rod Dooley**, **Tripp Jones**, **Mark Weber**, **Dawn Wetherley**; Richland **Chappelle Broome-Stevenson**, **LaJoia Broughton**, **Duane Cooper**, **Johnny Folsom**, **Anton Gunn**; City cards still print **Mayor Stephen K. Benjamin** and **Curtis Dayson**. 2024 leftover docs still call **Anton Gunn** Chair — leftover. President & CEO / AirNav manager **Chris White, A.A.E.** (effective **5 Jan 2026**). VP Finance **Gregg Hornsby** (AirNav leftover still lists him as interim CEO). VP Marketing & Air Service **Kim Jamieson Crafton**. VP Facilities and Planning **Frank Murray**. VP Operations and Aviation Services **Ryan Kreulen, A.A.E.**, **803-822-7815**. Terminal / admin **3250 Airport Blvd, Suite 10, West Columbia, SC 29170**. Switchboard **803-822-5000**. AirNav manager line **803-822-5078**. Ops / PPR **803-822-5050**. FAQ leftover info@columbiaairport.com. Civil passenger terminal. Historical Lexington County Airport / Columbia Army Air Base names are gone as passenger branding; IATA stays **CAE**. **Do not create a second airport for KCAE or a Columbia AAB / McEntire JNGB page.** **Do not merge CHS, GSP, CLT, or CUB (Owens Field).**
One civil building, official terminal page: **single concourse**. Official TSA page: checkpoint **3:45 a.m.–8:00 p.m. daily**. Official TSA / homepage: arrive **2 hours** domestic / **3 hours** international leftover; same TSA page also prints **90 minutes to two hours** for domestic. Live official airlines page (13 Sep 2026), **three** names: **American, Delta, United**. **Do not invent Allegiant, Spirit, Southwest, jetBlue, Frontier, or Alaska as live.** Allegiant’s last CAE day was **4 May 2026**. Spirit exited in **2025**. **No scheduled international passenger airline.**
**No passenger lounge.** Official dining / amenities / FAQ / maps have no paid club. Live Escape Lounges US list does **not** include CAE. Aggregator **“The Club CAE / Escape CAE / Priority Pass Business Center / $25 LoungePair” is fiction.** The airside Business Center and the Nov 2025 free seating rooms are public rooms. USO is military. Empty `lounges: []`. **Do not seed a placeholder lounge row.**
`lib/airports.json`: IATA **CAE**, ICAO **KCAE**, 33.940358, −81.12075, America/New_York. AirNav elev **235.9 ft**, 5 mi SW of Columbia; 33.9388381, −81.1195356; ZIP **29170**. Wikipedia / FAA **2,600 acres**. AirNav RWY **11/29 8,601×150**, **5/23 8,001×150** (RWY 5 displaced **1,000 ft**), helipad **H1 50×50**. ARFF Index **B**. ATCT continuous. Customs landing-rights / new ~**8,000 sq ft** CBP FIS (ribbon **31 Jul 2026**, press “first weeks of August”). Official aviation-services card: customs **24/7 upon request** for cargo and business aviation — **not** a scheduled international passenger airline.

9 official sources

Full guide

Explore the CAE guide

Each section answers one trip question in depth.

Terminal navigation guide

Terminal-change and gate-area notes pulled from the markdown guide.

From Terminals & Navigation

One civil building. Wikipedia reprint: terminal opened 30 May 1965, renovated 1997, later garage 2003, later leftover $45 million expansion — official current pages do not reprint those square-footage / gate-count cards. Official terminal page: single concourse. Sleeping-in-Airports leftover ten gates is leftover. Confirm FIDS.
Ticketing / Grand Hall on the upper level; bags, rental counters, taxi / hotel-shuttle curb on the lower level. Official rideshare pin: lower-level bags in front of the parking garage.
Live official airlines page (13 Sep 2026), three names:
American — Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas, Miami, New York City (LGA), Philadelphia, Washington DC (DCA). Counter leftover 3:30 a.m.–8:00 p.m. 27 Jan 2026 press: ORD restart 21 May 2026, two daily Embraer 170s (65 seats, First). Press leftover banks 6:00 a.m. CAE–ORD / 5:18 p.m. CAE–ORD. Miami is stamped seasonal on travel-inspo.
Delta — Atlanta and New York City (LGA). Counter leftover 3:45 a.m.–8:00 p.m.
United — Chicago, Newark (EWR), Washington DC (IAD). Counter leftover 4:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m. Wikipedia leftover: EWR resumed January 2026.
Official airlines / travel-inspo pages do not list Allegiant or Spirit. WIS 16 Apr 2026: Allegiant’s last CAE day 4 May 2026 (SFB / FLL; “lower than projected load factors”). Official Jan 29 2026 press leftover still thanks Allegiant — leftover. Spirit 2025 service (MCO / FLL / EWR) exited after the bankruptcy. Wikipedia destination leftover that still ranks Fort Lauderdale with Allegiant / Spirit is a Oct 2024–Sep 2025 BTS window. Do not invent those carriers as live.
No scheduled international passenger airline. New CBP FIS (~8,000 sq ft, more than $3 million, ribbon 31 Jul 2026) is printed for inbound air cargo and business aviation. Press: 505 international arrivals between 2024 and May 2026; “fully operational in the first weeks of August.” Homepage leftover still says Opening Soon. Official aviation-services: customs 24/7 upon request. That is not a ticketed-pax international arrivals hall.

Ground transport guide

City-transfer, rideshare, train, and parking guidance from the markdown guide.

From Ground Transport & Parking

No rail. Official pages do not name Amtrak or a downtown train.
Parking, LAZ 803-822-7930 / CAEParking@LAZParking.com, lots 24/7:
Garage: $3 each ½ hour / $17 day. Covered and uncovered. Clearance 8'6″. First-come even with a pre-book.
Surface Lot: first 30 minutes $1, each extra ½ hour $2, daily $12.
Valet: $25/day, 24/7.
Premier: application lot, $1,000 per year, pay before you park.
Pre-book Surface or Garage at go.lazparking.com/flycae. Free cancel ≥2 hours before the booked arrival. 7th / 14th / 21st day free on the new pre-book card, up to 60 days. Drive-up max leftover 30 days unless you call the exit plaza. ADA: one free day after you pre-book the whole trip and show the placard on exit (holder must be in the vehicle); refund 5–10 business days.
NIFT rewards leftover is a LAZ email offer, one gift / 30 days — not an airport lounge.

Ride to Columbia

Pickup at CAE. Where the app supports it, dropoff is set to Columbia city center for a live price.

To city center

Columbia

~10 km

Typical fare

$32

From Checker Yellow / Capital City / Blue Ribbon / Carolina Taxi notes

On-demand apps

Uber → city Lyft → city

Fixed-price transfers

GetTransfer quotes Kiwitaxi quotes

Compare prepaid private transfers to Columbia — useful overnight, with luggage, or when you want a locked-in fare before you land.

Surface Lot

Official $12/day Surface Lot. Garage is $17/day with an 8'6" clearance. Valet is $25.

Time to city

Walk to curb, then your drive — official pages print six miles to downtown

Cost

$12/day

Tip: Official pages do not name a cell lot. Upper-level curb tickets at 5 minutes. Pre-book can make the 7th day free.

FastestBest for luggage

Uber / Lyft

Official ground-transport heading names rideshare pickup on the lower-level bags curb in front of the parking garage.

Time to city

Confirm the app — official pages do not print a downtown minute card

Cost

app quote; no official tariff

Tip: Do not sit on the upper-level ticketing curb. Wait in the garage / surface lot.

Cheapest

The COMET

Official CAE page names The COMET and 803-255-7100. Official fare card is $2 / $1 half. Official CAE pages do not print Route 91.

Time to city

Third-party leftovers ~27 minutes to Laurel / Sumter — confirm the trip planner

Cost

$2 adult / $1 half (official COMET card; not printed on CAE pages)

Tip: Official CAE ground-transport page does not print the route number or Sunday hours. Confirm catchthecometsc.gov.

Checker Yellow / Capital City / Blue Ribbon / Carolina Taxi

Official pin: lower level, left of the rental counters. Official tariff: Fort Jackson $32, McCrady $49, otherwise $2.50/mile + $2.

Time to city

Official FAQ leftover: about six miles to downtown

Cost

$2.50/mile + $2 start; Fort Jackson $32

Tip: There is no Fort Jackson shuttle. Hotel courtesy vans use the same island.

Editorial guide tricks

The markdown guide's highest-signal tactics before the data-backed tips below.

From Best Airport Tricks & Hacks

Official check-in clock is 2 hours, not a 90-minute-only card. The first departure bank still wants you in the building when TSA opens at 3:45 a.m. Official airlines page leftover counters: American 3:30 a.m.–8:00 p.m., Delta 3:45 a.m.–8:00 p.m., United 4:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m. FAQ leftover Delta to 7:00 p.m. / United 4:30 a.m. is leftover — confirm the wall.
There is one TSA, not two. After screening you are on one sterile concourse. Official pages do not print a live airline-to-gate map — read FIDS.
Checkpoint modernization finished November 2025. Official homepage: SCAA Commercial Airport Project of the Year. WIS 9 Dec 2025 leftover: about $10 million, two added lanes, free seating rooms, outdoor patio, sensory room past TSA, possible future concession in that zone. July 2022 Commons interiors are pre-expansion.
Eat after TSA if you can. Named airside kitchen is the Runway Food Court. Landside Friendly Caterer To-Go is a call-ahead / Grand Hall counter, not a full food court. Official pages do not print airside clock hours.
Wait for your ride in the garage / surface lot, not on the curb. Official FAQ: upper-level curb is immediate pickup / drop-off only; photo enforcement tickets anyone parked longer than 5 minutes. Official pages do not name a cell lot.
The COMET is the city bus. Official CAE ground-transport page names The COMET and 803-255-7100 / catchthecometsc.gov and does not print a route number or fare. Third-party leftovers name Route 91 from the airport toward downtown in about 27 minutes. Official COMET fare card: regular one-way $2 / half $1. Confirm the trip planner.
No rail. Do not invent an Amtrak or streetcar curb.
Free Wi-Fi SSID FlyWithEase, official amenities card: no login.

SecurityTraveler Tips & Hacks

Trust the official 2-hour clock — TSA closes at 8:00 p.m.

Official TSA page: checkpoint 3:45 a.m.–8:00 p.m. Arrive 2 hours domestic. The same page also prints 90 minutes to two hours.

Official pages do not print a numeric wait tile. Guest Pass is 4:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m. and cannot use PreCheck. CLEAR is not on the official TSA page. ConfirmID $45 is not printed. July 2022 Commons interiors are pre-November 2025 lanes.

Pro

One upstairs checkpoint in a small building; blended PreCheck leftover since 2019.

Watch-out

Late evening departures after 8:00 p.m. are not covered by the printed checkpoint clock — confirm FIDS.

TransportTraveler Tips & Hacks

Surface Lot is $12 — the curb is a 5-minute photo ticket

Official parking: Surface $12/day, garage $17, valet $25. Official pages do not name a cell lot.

LAZ 803-822-7930. Pre-book can make the 7th day free. Garage clearance 8'6". Rideshare is lower-level bags in front of the garage. Taxi leftover Fort Jackson $32 / McCrady $49.

Pro

Surface Lot is the cheap drive-up card if you will walk.

Watch-out

Garage and Surface are first-come even with a reservation. Live stall widget was down on 13 Sep 2026.

FoodTraveler Tips & Hacks

Eat after TSA unless you called Friendly Caterer

Named airside kitchen is the Runway Food Court. Landside Friendly Caterer To-Go takes phone orders 7:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m.

Official pages do not print airside clock hours or a bottle price. Paradies shops sit on both sides of TSA. The Business Center is not a kitchen.

Pro

A real named food court sits after the only checkpoint.

Watch-out

No printed late-night kitchen. After 8:00 p.m. TSA you are not going back airside for Dunkin’.

NavigationTraveler Tips & Hacks

One building — pick FIDS, not a second terminal

Ticketing up; bags and rentals down; one TSA; one sterile concourse. Official pages do not print a live gate map.

IATA is CAE. Do not look for KCAE, CUB, CHS, GSP, or an Army Air Base hall. Live carriers are American, Delta, and United. Allegiant left 4 May 2026. CBP is cargo / GA, not a scheduled international passenger airline.

Pro

Small single-concourse walk after screening.

Watch-out

Wikipedia leftover still lists four airlines and Fort Lauderdale ULCC service from a 2024–2025 window.

Alternatives

Nearby airports

Passenger airports within about 150 km. Scored airports show their Airportist Score so you can weigh a switch.

Alternatives

Nearby airports

CAEGuide

Most important tips

Know before you go

A compact traveler cheat sheet for timing, terminals, food, and disruption checks.

Timing

Arrive 2 hours — TSA 3:45 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Official TSA page: checkpoint 3:45 a.m.–8:00 p.m. daily. Official clock is 2 hours domestic / 3 hours international leftover; the same page also prints 90 minutes to two hours.

Layout

One concourse, one TSA, no second building

Official terminal page: easy single-concourse civil building. Ticketing up; bags and rentals down. Official pages do not print a live gate-to-airline map.

Food

Eat after TSA — Runway Food Court is the named kitchen

Official amenities: Runway Food Court past TSA (Jimmy John’s, Samuel Adams Columbia Brewhouse, Dunkin’). Red Eye Express is just past TSA. Landside is Friendly Caterer To-Go in the Grand Hall.

Live checks

Three airlines; no lounge; Surface Lot $12

Live official carriers are American, Delta, and United. Official pages have no club. Drive-up Surface Lot is $12/day; garage $17; valet $25.

Live conditions

Right now at CAE

Security waits and operational status from official feeds, where the airport publishes them.

Honest verdict

Who this airport works for

Best for

Columbia and Midlands travelers who would otherwise drive to CLT or CHS
American, Delta, or United hub connections from one concourse
Drivers who will use the $12 Surface Lot or pre-book the garage

Watch out for

Official TSA clock is 2 hours / checkpoint closes 8:00 p.m. — not a 24-hour lane
No passenger lounge — the Business Center and Nov 2025 rooms are free public space, not Priority Pass
Official CAE pages do not print The COMET Route 91 number or $2 fare

Airportist Score

Why this score

Overall is the published weighted sum of six categories. No holistic fudge on top.

Ease of use · 25%

Wayfinding, security wait, and layout.

8.5

Comfort & amenities · 20%

Seating, Wi-Fi, cleanliness, and quiet.

7.4

Food & retail · 15%

Food and retail quality and variety.

7.0

Ground access · 15%

Transit, taxi, and parking to the city.

7.2

Reliability · 15%

Delays, cancellations, and weather resilience.

7.0

Lounges · 10%

Worth-it density and access quality.

2.0

Key stats

Editorial reference figures, not live readings.

Annual passengers

1,370,479

Terminals

On-time departures

74%

Typical security

15 min

Guide quick facts

From the editorial guide for CAE.

Updated Sep 13, 2026

Official December 2025 activity PDF: **1,370,479** total passengers (enplaned **675,081** / deplaned leftover on the monthly cells). Jan 29 2026 press reprints **1,371,977** vs 2024 **1,362,374** — do not mix the press total with the PDF. FAA prelim CY 2025 enplanements **662,756** (rank **126**, +1.27% vs **654,460**) are boardings only — do not mix. Wikipedia reprints the PDF **1,370,479** / **675,081** and freight **79,232,000 lbs**.
Owner / operator **Richland-Lexington Airport District** (special-purpose district of South Carolina; 12 commissioners). Live commission page (13 Sep 2026): Chairwoman **Elizabeth Taylor**; Lexington **Rod Dooley**, **Tripp Jones**, **Mark Weber**, **Dawn Wetherley**; Richland **Chappelle Broome-Stevenson**, **LaJoia Broughton**, **Duane Cooper**, **Johnny Folsom**, **Anton Gunn**; City cards still print **Mayor Stephen K. Benjamin** and **Curtis Dayson**. 2024 leftover docs still call **Anton Gunn** Chair — leftover. President & CEO / AirNav manager **Chris White, A.A.E.** (effective **5 Jan 2026**). VP Finance **Gregg Hornsby** (AirNav leftover still lists him as interim CEO). VP Marketing & Air Service **Kim Jamieson Crafton**. VP Facilities and Planning **Frank Murray**. VP Operations and Aviation Services **Ryan Kreulen, A.A.E.**, **803-822-7815**. Terminal / admin **3250 Airport Blvd, Suite 10, West Columbia, SC 29170**. Switchboard **803-822-5000**. AirNav manager line **803-822-5078**. Ops / PPR **803-822-5050**. FAQ leftover info@columbiaairport.com. Civil passenger terminal. Historical Lexington County Airport / Columbia Army Air Base names are gone as passenger branding; IATA stays **CAE**. **Do not create a second airport for KCAE or a Columbia AAB / McEntire JNGB page.** **Do not merge CHS, GSP, CLT, or CUB (Owens Field).**
One civil building, official terminal page: **single concourse**. Official TSA page: checkpoint **3:45 a.m.–8:00 p.m. daily**. Official TSA / homepage: arrive **2 hours** domestic / **3 hours** international leftover; same TSA page also prints **90 minutes to two hours** for domestic. Live official airlines page (13 Sep 2026), **three** names: **American, Delta, United**. **Do not invent Allegiant, Spirit, Southwest, jetBlue, Frontier, or Alaska as live.** Allegiant’s last CAE day was **4 May 2026**. Spirit exited in **2025**. **No scheduled international passenger airline.**
**No passenger lounge.** Official dining / amenities / FAQ / maps have no paid club. Live Escape Lounges US list does **not** include CAE. Aggregator **“The Club CAE / Escape CAE / Priority Pass Business Center / $25 LoungePair” is fiction.** The airside Business Center and the Nov 2025 free seating rooms are public rooms. USO is military. Empty `lounges: []`. **Do not seed a placeholder lounge row.**
`lib/airports.json`: IATA **CAE**, ICAO **KCAE**, 33.940358, −81.12075, America/New_York. AirNav elev **235.9 ft**, 5 mi SW of Columbia; 33.9388381, −81.1195356; ZIP **29170**. Wikipedia / FAA **2,600 acres**. AirNav RWY **11/29 8,601×150**, **5/23 8,001×150** (RWY 5 displaced **1,000 ft**), helipad **H1 50×50**. ARFF Index **B**. ATCT continuous. Customs landing-rights / new ~**8,000 sq ft** CBP FIS (ribbon **31 Jul 2026**, press “first weeks of August”). Official aviation-services card: customs **24/7 upon request** for cargo and business aviation — **not** a scheduled international passenger airline.

9 official sources

Full guide

Explore the CAE guide

Each section answers one trip question in depth.

Terminal navigation guide

Terminal-change and gate-area notes pulled from the markdown guide.

From Terminals & Navigation

One civil building. Wikipedia reprint: terminal opened 30 May 1965, renovated 1997, later garage 2003, later leftover $45 million expansion — official current pages do not reprint those square-footage / gate-count cards. Official terminal page: single concourse. Sleeping-in-Airports leftover ten gates is leftover. Confirm FIDS.
Ticketing / Grand Hall on the upper level; bags, rental counters, taxi / hotel-shuttle curb on the lower level. Official rideshare pin: lower-level bags in front of the parking garage.
Live official airlines page (13 Sep 2026), three names:
American — Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas, Miami, New York City (LGA), Philadelphia, Washington DC (DCA). Counter leftover 3:30 a.m.–8:00 p.m. 27 Jan 2026 press: ORD restart 21 May 2026, two daily Embraer 170s (65 seats, First). Press leftover banks 6:00 a.m. CAE–ORD / 5:18 p.m. CAE–ORD. Miami is stamped seasonal on travel-inspo.
Delta — Atlanta and New York City (LGA). Counter leftover 3:45 a.m.–8:00 p.m.
United — Chicago, Newark (EWR), Washington DC (IAD). Counter leftover 4:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m. Wikipedia leftover: EWR resumed January 2026.
Official airlines / travel-inspo pages do not list Allegiant or Spirit. WIS 16 Apr 2026: Allegiant’s last CAE day 4 May 2026 (SFB / FLL; “lower than projected load factors”). Official Jan 29 2026 press leftover still thanks Allegiant — leftover. Spirit 2025 service (MCO / FLL / EWR) exited after the bankruptcy. Wikipedia destination leftover that still ranks Fort Lauderdale with Allegiant / Spirit is a Oct 2024–Sep 2025 BTS window. Do not invent those carriers as live.
No scheduled international passenger airline. New CBP FIS (~8,000 sq ft, more than $3 million, ribbon 31 Jul 2026) is printed for inbound air cargo and business aviation. Press: 505 international arrivals between 2024 and May 2026; “fully operational in the first weeks of August.” Homepage leftover still says Opening Soon. Official aviation-services: customs 24/7 upon request. That is not a ticketed-pax international arrivals hall.

Ground transport guide

City-transfer, rideshare, train, and parking guidance from the markdown guide.

From Ground Transport & Parking

No rail. Official pages do not name Amtrak or a downtown train.
Parking, LAZ 803-822-7930 / CAEParking@LAZParking.com, lots 24/7:
Garage: $3 each ½ hour / $17 day. Covered and uncovered. Clearance 8'6″. First-come even with a pre-book.
Surface Lot: first 30 minutes $1, each extra ½ hour $2, daily $12.
Valet: $25/day, 24/7.
Premier: application lot, $1,000 per year, pay before you park.
Pre-book Surface or Garage at go.lazparking.com/flycae. Free cancel ≥2 hours before the booked arrival. 7th / 14th / 21st day free on the new pre-book card, up to 60 days. Drive-up max leftover 30 days unless you call the exit plaza. ADA: one free day after you pre-book the whole trip and show the placard on exit (holder must be in the vehicle); refund 5–10 business days.
NIFT rewards leftover is a LAZ email offer, one gift / 30 days — not an airport lounge.

Ride to Columbia

Pickup at CAE. Where the app supports it, dropoff is set to Columbia city center for a live price.

To city center

Columbia

~10 km

Typical fare

$32

From Checker Yellow / Capital City / Blue Ribbon / Carolina Taxi notes

On-demand apps

Uber → city Lyft → city

Fixed-price transfers

GetTransfer quotes Kiwitaxi quotes

Compare prepaid private transfers to Columbia — useful overnight, with luggage, or when you want a locked-in fare before you land.

Surface Lot

Official $12/day Surface Lot. Garage is $17/day with an 8'6" clearance. Valet is $25.

Time to city

Walk to curb, then your drive — official pages print six miles to downtown

Cost

$12/day

Tip: Official pages do not name a cell lot. Upper-level curb tickets at 5 minutes. Pre-book can make the 7th day free.

FastestBest for luggage

Uber / Lyft

Official ground-transport heading names rideshare pickup on the lower-level bags curb in front of the parking garage.

Time to city

Confirm the app — official pages do not print a downtown minute card

Cost

app quote; no official tariff

Tip: Do not sit on the upper-level ticketing curb. Wait in the garage / surface lot.

Cheapest

The COMET

Official CAE page names The COMET and 803-255-7100. Official fare card is $2 / $1 half. Official CAE pages do not print Route 91.

Time to city

Third-party leftovers ~27 minutes to Laurel / Sumter — confirm the trip planner

Cost

$2 adult / $1 half (official COMET card; not printed on CAE pages)

Tip: Official CAE ground-transport page does not print the route number or Sunday hours. Confirm catchthecometsc.gov.

Checker Yellow / Capital City / Blue Ribbon / Carolina Taxi

Official pin: lower level, left of the rental counters. Official tariff: Fort Jackson $32, McCrady $49, otherwise $2.50/mile + $2.

Time to city

Official FAQ leftover: about six miles to downtown

Cost

$2.50/mile + $2 start; Fort Jackson $32

Tip: There is no Fort Jackson shuttle. Hotel courtesy vans use the same island.

Editorial guide tricks

The markdown guide's highest-signal tactics before the data-backed tips below.

From Best Airport Tricks & Hacks

Official check-in clock is 2 hours, not a 90-minute-only card. The first departure bank still wants you in the building when TSA opens at 3:45 a.m. Official airlines page leftover counters: American 3:30 a.m.–8:00 p.m., Delta 3:45 a.m.–8:00 p.m., United 4:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m. FAQ leftover Delta to 7:00 p.m. / United 4:30 a.m. is leftover — confirm the wall.
There is one TSA, not two. After screening you are on one sterile concourse. Official pages do not print a live airline-to-gate map — read FIDS.
Checkpoint modernization finished November 2025. Official homepage: SCAA Commercial Airport Project of the Year. WIS 9 Dec 2025 leftover: about $10 million, two added lanes, free seating rooms, outdoor patio, sensory room past TSA, possible future concession in that zone. July 2022 Commons interiors are pre-expansion.
Eat after TSA if you can. Named airside kitchen is the Runway Food Court. Landside Friendly Caterer To-Go is a call-ahead / Grand Hall counter, not a full food court. Official pages do not print airside clock hours.
Wait for your ride in the garage / surface lot, not on the curb. Official FAQ: upper-level curb is immediate pickup / drop-off only; photo enforcement tickets anyone parked longer than 5 minutes. Official pages do not name a cell lot.
The COMET is the city bus. Official CAE ground-transport page names The COMET and 803-255-7100 / catchthecometsc.gov and does not print a route number or fare. Third-party leftovers name Route 91 from the airport toward downtown in about 27 minutes. Official COMET fare card: regular one-way $2 / half $1. Confirm the trip planner.
No rail. Do not invent an Amtrak or streetcar curb.
Free Wi-Fi SSID FlyWithEase, official amenities card: no login.

SecurityTraveler Tips & Hacks

Trust the official 2-hour clock — TSA closes at 8:00 p.m.

Official TSA page: checkpoint 3:45 a.m.–8:00 p.m. Arrive 2 hours domestic. The same page also prints 90 minutes to two hours.

Pro

One upstairs checkpoint in a small building; blended PreCheck leftover since 2019.

Watch-out

Late evening departures after 8:00 p.m. are not covered by the printed checkpoint clock — confirm FIDS.

TransportTraveler Tips & Hacks

Surface Lot is $12 — the curb is a 5-minute photo ticket

Official parking: Surface $12/day, garage $17, valet $25. Official pages do not name a cell lot.

LAZ 803-822-7930. Pre-book can make the 7th day free. Garage clearance 8'6". Rideshare is lower-level bags in front of the garage. Taxi leftover Fort Jackson $32 / McCrady $49.

Pro

Surface Lot is the cheap drive-up card if you will walk.

Watch-out

Garage and Surface are first-come even with a reservation. Live stall widget was down on 13 Sep 2026.

FoodTraveler Tips & Hacks

Eat after TSA unless you called Friendly Caterer

Named airside kitchen is the Runway Food Court. Landside Friendly Caterer To-Go takes phone orders 7:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m.

Official pages do not print airside clock hours or a bottle price. Paradies shops sit on both sides of TSA. The Business Center is not a kitchen.

Pro

A real named food court sits after the only checkpoint.

Watch-out

No printed late-night kitchen. After 8:00 p.m. TSA you are not going back airside for Dunkin’.

NavigationTraveler Tips & Hacks

One building — pick FIDS, not a second terminal

Ticketing up; bags and rentals down; one TSA; one sterile concourse. Official pages do not print a live gate map.

Pro

Small single-concourse walk after screening.

Watch-out

Wikipedia leftover still lists four airlines and Fort Lauderdale ULCC service from a 2024–2025 window.

Nearby airports

Nearby airports

Flying from Columbia?

Nearby airports

Nearby airports

Flying from Columbia?

Know before you go

Right now at CAE

Who this airport works for

Why this score

Explore the CAE guide

Map

Getting There

Lounges

Traveler Tips

Amenities

Water

Reviews

Trust the official 2-hour clock — TSA closes at 8:00 p.m.

Surface Lot is $12 — the curb is a 5-minute photo ticket

Eat after TSA unless you called Friendly Caterer

One building — pick FIDS, not a second terminal

What travelers say

Nearby airports

Nearby airports

Know before you go

Right now at CAE

Who this airport works for

Why this score

Explore the CAE guide

Map

Getting There

Lounges

Traveler Tips

Amenities

Water

Reviews

Trust the official 2-hour clock — TSA closes at 8:00 p.m.

Surface Lot is $12 — the curb is a 5-minute photo ticket

Eat after TSA unless you called Friendly Caterer

One building — pick FIDS, not a second terminal

What travelers say

Nearby airports