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.

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CAEKCAEMinor23°C / 73°F

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

6 photos

July 2022 landside hall at Columbia Metropolitan Airport looking toward the pre-expansion TSA checkpoint

July 2022 holdroom past TSA at Columbia Metropolitan Airport

Night final approach to runway 29 at Columbia Metropolitan Airport in 2010

2006 USGS aerial of Columbia Metropolitan Airport

January 1994 USGS aerial of Columbia Metropolitan Airport

National Airlines Boeing 747 N952CA on the Columbia Metropolitan cargo ramp in 2017

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.

Alternatives

Nearby airports

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

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.

Security wait times

A current security estimate is not available. Check the official airport site or MyTSA before travel.

MyTSA

Official airport site TSA screening guide

Operational status

Normal operations

No Flighty-reported operational issues for this airport.

Status update: 05:15 EDT

Source: Flighty Airports

Status response Sep 14, 09:15 UTC · Confirm live conditions with official sources before travel.

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.

Columbia Metropolitan Airport

Columbia Metropolitan Airport

Columbia Metropolitan Airport

Know before you go

Right now at CAE

Who this airport works for

Why this score

Explore the CAE guide

Getting There

Lounges

Traveler Tips

Amenities

Water

Reviews

Nearby airports

Columbia Metropolitan Airport

Know before you go

Right now at CAE

Who this airport works for

Why this score

Explore the CAE guide

Getting There

Lounges

Traveler Tips

Amenities

Water

Reviews

Nearby airports