3/ 5 reviews
Easy in & out
“This is a wonderfully convenient airport with hidden secrets.”
Ani mal5★ on Google
Airports / South Carolina / CAE
Medium airport · CAE
Columbia Metropolitan Airport.
Columbia, South Carolina · 236 ft elevation. 4 charter operators based here.
4.4/5
Google rating
2,390 ratings
4
Operators based
236
Elevation ft
Scheduled service
Columbia, South CarolinaELEV 236 FTMedium airportScheduled service
4.4
Google rating
2,390
Google reviews
ratings on Google
4
Based operators
charter operators on the field
1
FBOs on field
ramp, fuel and handling
236
Field elevation
feet above sea level
Field standing
4 operators
Charter fleet based on the field
More resident charter operators than 83% of the 651 US fields with a based fleet on the register.
7 nm
To the nearest alternate
Jim Hamilton L.B. Owens Airport (CUB), 4 fields within 50 nm.
Overview
Located in Columbia, South Carolina, Columbia Metropolitan Airport (KCAE / CAE) operates as a mid-sized airport. Field elevation is 236 feet above sea level. Scheduled carriers operate here, and the field also sees regular private and charter activity.
For charter flyers, CAE is a home base: AirStat, Inc., Bankair, Inc., and C-Suite Air operate from the field, 4 in all. The closest alternate fields are Jim Hamilton L.B. Owens Airport (CUB, 7 nm), Mc Entire Joint National Guard Base (MMT, 16 nm), and Orangeburg Municipal Airport (OGB, 32 nm). The field has 2 runways, the longest 8,601-foot paved runway, long enough for charter aircraft up to VIP airliners.
Trip costs from CAE are driven by the aircraft category flown and how far it must reposition. Browse operators flying from the area or estimate a trip cost from CAE to plan your flight.
1 FBO serves KCAE. Run one? Become the preferred FBO
Ramp services
FBOs on the field
Eagle Aviation Columbia Metropolitan
Your FBO? Claim it, freeEagle Aviation is conveniently located at the midway point of the east coast corridor and offers a state-of-the-art 24-hour line department designed to minimize your ground time. Eagle strives to make your time on the ground as productive as possible. Eagle Aviation’s 48 years of experience ensures you the quality professional service you expect.
- Fuel
- 24/7
- Executive lounge
- Customs
- Wi-Fi
- Courtesy car
- Car rental
- Taxi
- Fuel
- Ground handling
- +6 more
- Phone
- Website
- Address
Directory data, unpaid. FBOs can take the Preferred slot above.
What fliers highlight.
From the stored review texts
3/ 5 reviews
Terminal & facilities
“It is about 300 feet from the terminal building, on a bend in the road, as you approach the terminal building.”
Ani mal5★ on Google
Themes counted by keyword across Google review texts for Columbia Metropolitan Airport, every quote is verbatim from a real review.
Field capability
ICAO
KCAE
IATA
CAE
FAA / Local
CAE
Elevation
236 ft
Coordinates
33.9382° N · 81.1230° W
Airspace
C · CharlieClass C, CharlieRadar-controlled airspace around mid-size hubs. Aircraft must be in two-way radio contact and squawking a transponder while approach control sequences arrivals.Source: FAA NASR class airspace
Size
Medium
Scheduled svc
Yes
Elevation vs SC fields
state range 10–1,048 ft
At 236 ft, CAE sits lower than 49% of the 43 South Carolina fields on the register.
Runways & aircraft access
2 runways
longest 8,601 ft
- 11/298,601 ft × 150 ftAsphaltLighted
- 05/238,001 ft × 150 ftAsphaltLighted
Which aircraft can operate here
vs longest paved runway 8,601 ft
CAE's 8,601 ft paved runway typically supports charter aircraft up to VIP airliners.
- Turboprop3,000 ft
- Light Jet3,500 ft
- Midsize Jet4,500 ft
- Super-Midsize Jet5,000 ft
- Heavy Jet5,500 ft
- VIP Airliner6,000 ft
Class minimums are sea-level planning rules of thumb. A specific aircraft's balanced-field length varies with weight, temperature, and field elevation. Confirm performance with the operator.
Based charter operators4
Access & alternates
Closest alternate fields by great-circle distance, every listing links to its own field brief.
- 7nmCUBJim Hamilton L.B. Owens AirportColumbia
- 16nmMMTMc Entire Joint National Guard BaseEastover
- 32nmOGBOrangeburg Municipal AirportOrangeburg
- 33nmSSCShaw Air Force BaseSumter
- 54nmDNLDaniel FieldAugusta
- 54nmAGSAugusta Regional At Bush FieldAugusta
Location
Open the full mapKCAE · Columbia Metropolitan Airport · Columbia, SC
From the ramp
Google Places photography of Columbia Metropolitan Airport, tap any frame to view full-screen, then cycle with the arrows or your keyboard.
Flight times from here
Approximate nonstop block times from CAE on a typical midsize charter jet. Faster classes trim these; add positioning and taxi for the real schedule.
| Destination | Distance | Block time |
|---|---|---|
| Nashville (BNA) | 303 nm | 1h 6m |
| Washington DC (IAD) | 349 nm | 1h 13m |
| Palm Beach (PBI) | 439 nm | 1h 25m |
| Miami (MIA) | 491 nm | 1h 33m |
| New York (TEB) | 534 nm | 1h 39m |
| Chicago (ORD) | 579 nm | 1h 45m |
| Boston (BED) | 690 nm | 2h 0m |
| Houston (HOU) | 766 nm | 2h 11m |
Common questions
- What size private jets can use CAE?
- Columbia Metropolitan Airport's longest paved runway is 8,601 ft, which typically supports charter aircraft up to VIP airliners. Lighter classes (turboprops, light and midsize jets) operate comfortably; confirm exact performance for a specific tail with the operator, since balanced-field length shifts with weight, temperature, and elevation.
- What is the longest runway at CAE?
- Columbia Metropolitan Airport has 2 runways; the longest measures 8,601 ft on a paved surface and is lit for night operations.
- Are there charter operators based at CAE?
- Yes. 4 charter operators list Columbia Metropolitan Airport as a home base, including AirStat, Inc., Bankair, Inc., C-Suite Air. You can also request quotes from operators that reposition aircraft into the field.
- Which FBOs are at Columbia Metropolitan Airport?
- One FBO serves CAE: Eagle Aviation Columbia Metropolitan. Phone, website, hours, unicom and services for each are listed on this page. Call ahead for fuel, ramp space, and ground handling.
- What is the nearest major airport to CAE?
- The closest alternate is Jim Hamilton L.B. Owens Airport (CUB), about 7 nm away, followed by Mc Entire Joint National Guard Base (MMT) at 16 nm. Operators often position aircraft between these fields depending on ramp space and availability.
- How long is a flight from CAE to major cities?
- Typical block times on a midsize jet: Nashville about 1h 6m (303 nm), Washington DC about 1h 13m (349 nm), Palm Beach about 1h 25m (439 nm). Faster classes trim these times; add positioning and taxi for the real schedule.