3/ 5 reviews
Staff & service
“Kept my 172 hangared here since 2023, classic small town airport, clean and well maintained terminal building, friendly helpful staff on site.”
Jake Brodersen5★ on Google
Airports / South Carolina / SUM
Small airport · SUM
Sumter Airport.
Sumter, South Carolina · 182 ft elevation. A private-aviation gateway on the Bravo register.
4.7/5
Google rating
20 ratings
0
Operators based
182
Elevation ft
Sumter, South CarolinaELEV 182 FTSmall airport
4.7
Google rating
20
Google reviews
ratings on Google
1
FBOs on field
ramp, fuel and handling
182
Field elevation
feet above sea level
6
Nearest alternate
nm to SSC
Field standing
#15 / 31
South Carolina airports by Google rating
4.7★ across 20 Google ratings , ranked against 31 rated SC fields.
6 nm
To the nearest alternate
Shaw Air Force Base (SSC), 6 fields within 50 nm.
Overview
Sumter Airport (KSMS / SUM) is a general aviation field serving Sumter, South Carolina. The airport sits 182 feet above sea level. With no scheduled airline service, it caters to private, charter, and general aviation traffic.
No charter operator is headquartered on the field, but operators routinely position aircraft into SUM for departures. When weather or ramp space demands it, nearby options are Shaw Air Force Base (SSC, 6 nm), Mc Entire Joint National Guard Base (MMT, 22 nm), and Jim Hamilton L.B. Owens Airport (CUB, 32 nm). With 2 runways, the longest 5,501-foot paved runway, SUM can typically accommodate aircraft as large as heavy jets.
Charter pricing from SUM depends on aircraft category, positioning distance, and trip timing. Compare rated operators or run a route through the cost estimator to gauge pricing from Sumter.
1 FBO serves KSMS. Run one? Become the preferred FBO
Ramp services
FBOs on the field
On Eagles' Wings
Your FBO? Claim it, free- Fuel
- Hangar
- Sun-Sat 7:30 AM to 6:00 PM; after hours by appointment
- Unicom 122.7
- Conference room
- Wi-Fi
- Vending
- Courtesy car
- Car rental
- Restrooms
- Hangar
- Maintenance
- +10 more
- Phone
- Website
- Address
Directory data, unpaid. FBOs can take the Preferred slot above.
What fliers highlight.
From the stored review texts
2/ 5 reviews
Terminal & facilities
“Kept my 172 hangared here since 2023, classic small town airport, clean and well maintained terminal building, friendly helpful staff on site.”
Jake Brodersen5★ on Google
Themes counted by keyword across Google review texts for Sumter Airport, every quote is verbatim from a real review.
Field capability
ICAO
KSMS
IATA
SUM
FAA / Local
SMS
Elevation
182 ft
Coordinates
33.9950° N · 80.3613° W
Airspace
G · GolfClass G, GolfUncontrolled field, no tower. Pilots self-announce and sequence themselves on the common traffic advisory frequency.Source: FAA NASR class airspace
Size
Small
Scheduled svc
No
Elevation vs SC fields
state range 10–1,048 ft
At 182 ft, SUM sits lower than 58% of the 43 South Carolina fields on the register.
Runways & aircraft access
2 runways
longest 5,501 ft
- 05/235,501 ft × 100 ftAsphaltLighted
- 14/323,081 ft × 120 ftGrass / turfUnlit
Which aircraft can operate here
vs longest paved runway 5,501 ft
SUM's 5,501 ft paved runway typically supports charter aircraft up to heavy jets.
- 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.
Access & alternates
Closest alternate fields by great-circle distance, every listing links to its own field brief.
- 6nmSSCShaw Air Force BaseSumter
- 22nmMMTMc Entire Joint National Guard BaseEastover
- 32nmCUBJim Hamilton L.B. Owens AirportColumbia
- 34nmFLOFlorence Regional AirportFlorence
- 38nmCAEColumbia Metropolitan AirportColumbia
- 41nmOGBOrangeburg Municipal AirportOrangeburg
Location
Open the full mapKSMS · Sumter Airport · Sumter, SC
Flight times from here
Approximate nonstop block times from SUM on a typical midsize charter jet. Faster classes trim these; add positioning and taxi for the real schedule.
| Destination | Distance | Block time |
|---|---|---|
| Washington DC (IAD) | 329 nm | 1h 10m |
| Nashville (BNA) | 336 nm | 1h 11m |
| Palm Beach (PBI) | 439 nm | 1h 25m |
| Miami (MIA) | 492 nm | 1h 33m |
| New York (TEB) | 509 nm | 1h 35m |
| Chicago (ORD) | 597 nm | 1h 47m |
| Boston (BED) | 664 nm | 1h 57m |
| Houston (HOU) | 804 nm | 2h 16m |
Common questions
- What size private jets can use SUM?
- Sumter Airport's longest paved runway is 5,501 ft, which typically supports charter aircraft up to heavy jets. 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 SUM?
- Sumter Airport has 2 runways; the longest measures 5,501 ft on a paved surface and is lit for night operations.
- Which FBOs are at Sumter Airport?
- One FBO serves SUM: On Eagles' Wings. 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 SUM?
- The closest alternate is Shaw Air Force Base (SSC), about 6 nm away, followed by Mc Entire Joint National Guard Base (MMT) at 22 nm. Operators often position aircraft between these fields depending on ramp space and availability.
- How long is a flight from SUM to major cities?
- Typical block times on a midsize jet: Washington DC about 1h 10m (329 nm), Nashville about 1h 11m (336 nm), Palm Beach about 1h 25m (439 nm). Faster classes trim these times; add positioning and taxi for the real schedule.