Columbia Metropolitan Airport (CAE)

Columbia, US 🇺🇸 Medium Airport Scheduled Service

ICAO

KCAE

IATA

CAE

Elevation

236 ft

Region

US-SC

Local Time

Airport Information

GPS Code: KCAE

Local Code: CAE

Location: 33.938801° N, -81.119499° E

Continent: NA

Type: Medium Airport

Arrivals

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Departures

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External Links

Wikipedia Live Flights

Nearby Points of Interest

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What Travelers Say

AI-Generated Summary Based on web research

Columbia Metropolitan Airport (CAE) generally receives positive traveler reviews, with many passengers highlighting its efficiency and pleasant atmosphere. Travelers frequently express satisfaction with the airport's cleanliness, ease of navigation, and quick security processes. It is often praised as a convenient and stress-free alternative to larger, more crowded airports.

What Travelers Love

Cleanliness and Modern Facilities: CAE is consistently described as clean, modern, and well-maintained throughout the terminal, including restrooms.
Efficient Security and Short Wait Times: Travelers frequently report quick and efficient security checks with minimal wait times, often as little as 5-20 minutes, which is a significant advantage for a regional airport. TSA security checkpoints are open from 3:45 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. daily.
Friendly and Helpful Staff: Many reviews commend the polite, friendly, and helpful staff throughout the airport, contributing to a positive experience.
Ease of Navigation: Due to its smaller size, CAE is considered easy to navigate with clear signage, making it simple for travelers to get around.
Parking Convenience: The airport offers various parking options, including a garage, surface lot, and valet. There are also red and green lights in the parking garage to indicate available spots, and a new pre-booking system is available for discounts and reservations. Offsite parking with shuttle services is also available.
New Amenities: Recent upgrades include a secure exit, business center, interfaith/meditation room, sensory room, lactation room, pet relief area, and family restroom with an adult changing table.
Local Offerings: Travelers appreciate local touches like the Red Eye Express coffee kiosk, featuring local vendors, and the Art in the Airport program showcasing regional artists. A Free Little Library is also available for travelers to exchange books.

Common Complaints

Limited Dining Options: A recurring complaint is the limited selection of food and restaurant options, though some note that available options like Dunkin', Jimmy John's, and Samuel Adams Brewhouse are convenient.
Inconsistent Professionalism/Security Issues: While generally praised, a few reviews mention isolated incidents of unprofessional behavior from staff or frustrating security experiences, including intrusive pat-downs.
Ground Transportation after Midnight: One review noted a lack of ground transportation options after midnight.
Baggage Claim Traffic (Undergoing Improvement): The loading zone and drive-up lanes at baggage claim have been a "pain point" for those picking up passengers, but a three-phase curb-front reconfiguration project is underway to improve this, with completion anticipated by early 2025.

Columbia Metropolitan Airport stands out as a highly-rated regional airport, offering a generally smooth and pleasant travel experience with quick security, friendly staff, and new amenities. While dining options are somewhat limited, the overall efficiency and ease of use make it a preferred choice for many travelers in the region.

Generated 5 days ago

This summary is automatically generated by AI based on web research of traveler reviews and experiences. AI-generated content may not always be 100% accurate.

Current Weather Conditions

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Airport Routes

Top Routes (by observations)

Newly Discovered

Popular Flight Routes

Building Route Index: We are building our route index for commercial airports. Currently 236 routes are indexed for Columbia Metropolitan Airport. For real-time updates, admin access is required.

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Top Airlines

Operating at Columbia Metropolitan Airport

Airlines by Flight Activity

Based on observed flight operations and route network

Airline	Routes	Flights	Destinations	Last Activity
Piedmont `PDT` / `PT`	2	288	2	Dec 11, 2025
PSA Airlines `JIA` / `OH`	3	226	3	Dec 11, 2025
Delta Air Lines `DAL` / `DL`	2	216	2	Dec 11, 2025
Endeavor Air `EDV` / `9E`	2	163	2	Dec 11, 2025
Republic `RPA` / `YX`	3	108	3	Dec 11, 2025
United Parcel Service `UPS` / `5X`	16	88	16	Dec 11, 2025
CommuteAir `UCA` / `C5`	1	86	1	Dec 8, 2025
SkyWest `SKW` / `OO`	3	58	3	Dec 7, 2025
GoJet `GJS` / `G7`	1	47	1	Oct 25, 2025

Showing top 9 airlines by flight activity. Data includes observed departures and route networks from this airport.

For Pilots

Designation	Length	Width	Surface	Status
`05/23`	8001 ft	150 ft	PEM	Active Lighted
`11/29`	8601 ft	150 ft	ASP	Active Lighted

Type	Description	Frequency
A/D	APP/DEP	`124.15 MHz`
ATIS	ATIS	`120.15 MHz`
CLD	CLNC DEL	`119.75 MHz`
GND	GND	`121.9 MHz`
RDO	ANDERSON RDO	`122.65 MHz`
TWR	TWR	`119.5 MHz`
UNIC	UNICOM	`122.95 MHz`

Ident	Name	Type	Frequency
`CA`	Murry	NDB	`362 kHz`

Ground Transportation

Last updated: Nov 21, 2025

Taxis

Taxis are readily available 24/7 and are located on the lower level outside of the baggage claim area. Services are metered, and ride-sharing services like Uber and Lyft also operate at the airport with designated pick-up zones.

Rental Cars

Rental car counters are conveniently located inside the terminal in the baggage claim area on the lower level. On-site agencies include Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, Hertz, National, and Thrifty.

Public Transportation

Public transit is provided by The COMET (Central Midlands Regional Transit Authority). Route 91 serves the airport, offering an affordable connection to downtown Columbia and the main transit center. The bus stop is located on the lower level roadway.

Distances are approximate and calculated as straight-line distances.