Atlanta to Columbia (ATL–CAE) — Airlines, Schedules & Connections

ATL Airport Page →
191 mi airlines charter/private 260/wk
On-time Some delays Frequent delays
Flight Schedule 102 flights Verified 14m ago
Also flown by charter / private operators: NetJets Aviation.
Nonstop Charter / private 1-Stop 2-Stop Hide separate tickets Hide overnight Hide codeshares
  Flight Airline AC Dep Arr Dur OTP Sched  
✈ Nonstop
KE3783+4
KE Korean
712
8:15 AM
EDT TS
9:17 AM
EDT
1h 2m
55%
M T W T F S S
Prices
DL5202+1
DL Delta
CR9
8:20 AM
EDT TS
9:25 AM
EDT
1h 5m
55%
M T W T F S S
Prices
WS6375
Starts Oct 6 Seat map
WS WestJet
CR9 Seat map
8:20 AM
EDT TS
9:30 AM
EDT
1h 10m
57%
M T W T F S S
Prices
DL5214
Starts Oct 6 Seat map
DL Delta
CR9 Seat map
8:20 AM
EDT TS
9:30 AM
EDT
1h 10m
55%
M T W T F S S
Prices
WS5486cs
WS WestJet
CR9
8:20 AM
EDT TS
9:25 AM
EDT
1h 5m
57%
M T W T F S S
Prices
LA6141
Starts Oct 6 Seat map
LA LATAM Chile
CR9 Seat map
8:20 AM
EDT TS
9:30 AM
EDT
1h 10m
67%
M T W T F S S
Prices
KL5126+1
KL KLM
717
8:20 AM
EDT TS
9:22 AM
EDT
1h 2m
M T W T F S S
Prices
KE6855cs
KE Korean
CR9
10:05 AM
EDT TS
11:18 AM
EDT
1h 13m
55%
M T W T F S S
Prices
LA5453cs
LA LATAM Chile
717
10:10 AM
EDT TS
11:12 AM
EDT
1h 2m
67%
M T W T F S S
Prices
DL1590+7
DL Delta
712
10:10 AM
EDT TS
11:12 AM
EDT
1h 2m
55%
M T W T F S S
Prices
LA5055
Starts Sep 18 Seat map
LA LATAM Chile
CR9 Seat map
10:10 AM
EDT TS
11:16 AM
EDT
1h 6m
67%
M T W T F S S
Prices
DL5175
Starts Sep 18 Seat map
DL Delta
CR9 Seat map
10:10 AM
EDT TS
11:16 AM
EDT
1h 6m
55%
M T W T F S S
Prices
WS5405
Starts Sep 18 Seat map
WS WestJet
CR9 Seat map
10:10 AM
EDT TS
11:16 AM
EDT
1h 6m
57%
M T W T F S S
Prices
WS6443cs
WS WestJet
717
10:10 AM
EDT TS
11:12 AM
EDT
1h 2m
57%
M T W T F S S
Prices
DL2944+5
DL Delta
712
12:15 PM
EDT TS
1:14 PM
EDT
0h 59m
55%
M T W T F S S
Prices
KE3759cs
KE Korean
712
1:52 PM
EDT TS
2:53 PM
EDT
1h 1m
55%
M T W T F S S
Prices
KL5321+1
KL KLM
717
2:05 PM
EDT TS
3:06 PM
EDT
1h 1m
M T W T F S S
Prices
AM3061cs
AM Aeromexi
717
2:05 PM
EDT TS
3:06 PM
EDT
1h 1m
46%
M T W T F S S
Prices
DL3193+12
Seat map
DL Delta
717 Seat map
2:10 PM
EDT TS
3:08 PM
EDT
0h 58m
55%
M T W T F S S
Prices
WS5483
Seat map
WS WestJet
717 Seat map
2:10 PM
EDT TS
3:08 PM
EDT
0h 58m
57%
M T W T F S S
Prices
AM3031
Starts Oct 4 Seat map
AM Aeromexi
717 Seat map
2:10 PM
EDT TS
3:08 PM
EDT
0h 58m
46%
M T W T F S S
Prices
VS2537cs
VS Virgin Atlantic
CR9
3:40 PM
EDT TS
4:53 PM
EDT
1h 13m
38%
M T W T F S S
Prices
WS5453
Seat map
WS WestJet
CR9 Seat map
4:12 PM
EDT TS
5:17 PM
EDT
1h 5m
57%
M T W T F S S
Prices
AM3030
Seat map
AM Aeromexi
CR9 Seat map
4:12 PM
EDT TS
5:17 PM
EDT
1h 5m
46%
M T W T F S S
Prices
DL5192+1
DL Delta
CR9
4:12 PM
EDT TS
5:17 PM
EDT
1h 5m
55%
M T W T F S S
Prices
DL3032+10
Seat map
DL Delta
717 Seat map
4:13 PM
EDT TS
5:11 PM
EDT
0h 58m
55%
M T W T F S S
Prices
AF2645cs
AF Air France
717
4:13 PM
EDT TS
5:11 PM
EDT
0h 58m
47%
M T W T F S S
Prices
WS6424cs
WS WestJet
717
4:13 PM
EDT TS
5:11 PM
EDT
0h 58m
57%
M T W T F S S
Prices
VS2791cs
VS Virgin Atlantic
717
4:13 PM
EDT TS
5:11 PM
EDT
0h 58m
38%
M T W T F S S
Prices
AF2522cs
AF Air France
717
4:14 PM
EDT TS
5:14 PM
EDT
1h
47%
M T W T F S S
Prices
KE3149cs
KE Korean
712
4:15 PM
EDT TS
5:20 PM
EDT
1h 5m
55%
M T W T F S S
Prices
AM3034
Seat map
AM Aeromexi
CR9 Seat map
4:55 PM
EDT TS
6:08 PM
EDT
1h 13m
46%
M T W T F S S
Prices
VS2535cs
VS Virgin Atlantic
717
7:05 PM
EDT TS
8:09 PM
EDT
1h 4m
38%
M T W T F S S
Prices
WS6378cs
WS WestJet
717
7:05 PM
EDT TS
8:09 PM
EDT
1h 4m
57%
M T W T F S S
Prices
LA5056
Seat map
LA LATAM Chile
717 Seat map
7:06 PM
EDT TS
8:10 PM
EDT
1h 4m
67%
M T W T F S S
Prices
AM3524cs
AM Aeromexi
717
7:06 PM
EDT TS
8:10 PM
EDT
1h 4m
46%
M T W T F S S
Prices
KE3757cs
KE Korean
717
7:06 PM
EDT TS
8:10 PM
EDT
1h 4m
55%
M T W T F S S
Prices
DL3008+5
Seat map
DL Delta
717 Seat map
7:09 PM
EDT TS
8:13 PM
EDT
1h 4m
55%
M T W T F S S
Prices
VS2790cs
VS Virgin Atlantic
717
7:10 PM
EDT TS
8:08 PM
EDT
0h 58m
38%
M T W T F S S
Prices
AF2443
Seat map
AF Air France
717 Seat map
7:10 PM
EDT TS
8:08 PM
EDT
0h 58m
47%
M T W T F S S
Prices
DL2193+7
DL Delta
712
7:10 PM
EDT TS
8:08 PM
EDT
0h 58m
55%
M T W T F S S
Prices
AF2817cs
AF Air France
712
7:10 PM
EDT TS
8:08 PM
EDT
0h 58m
47%
M T W T F S S
Prices
AM3060
Starts Oct 10 Seat map
AM Aeromexi
717 Seat map
7:10 PM
EDT TS
8:10 PM
EDT
1h
46%
M T W T F S S
Prices
WS5445
Starts Oct 6 Seat map
WS WestJet
717 Seat map
7:10 PM
EDT TS
8:10 PM
EDT
1h
57%
M T W T F S S
Prices
SK3213cs
SK S
717
8:10 PM
EDT TS
9:15 PM
EDT
1h 5m
M T W T F S S
Prices
AM3082
Seat map
AM Aeromexi
717 Seat map
8:15 PM
EDT TS
9:20 PM
EDT
1h 5m
46%
M T W T F S S
Prices
DL3029
Seat map
DL Delta
717 Seat map
10:48 PM
EDT TS
11:49 PM
EDT
1h 1m
55%
M T W T F S S
Prices
AM3305cs
AM Aeromexi
739
5:35 AM
EDT TM
6:40 AM
EDT
1h 5m
M T W T F S S
Prices
DL3038+6
Seat map
DL Delta
717 Seat map
5:40 AM
EDT TM
6:45 AM
EDT
1h 5m
M T W T F S S
Prices
KE3761cs
KE Korean
717
5:40 AM
EDT TM
6:45 AM
EDT
1h 5m
M T W T F S S
Prices
LA7005
Starts Oct 10 Seat map
LA LATAM Chile
717 Seat map
6:00 AM
EDT
7:07 AM
EDT
1h 7m
M T W T F S S
Prices
WS7262cs
WS WestJet
717
6:11 AM
EDT
7:18 AM
EDT
1h 7m
M T W T F S S
Prices
KE3169cs
KE Korean
717
6:50 AM
EDT
7:58 AM
EDT
1h 8m
M T W T F S S
Prices
KL5321+1
KL KLM
CR9
7:22 AM
EDT TM
8:39 AM
EDT
1h 17m
M T W T F S S
Prices
WS6840cs
WS WestJet
717
7:30 AM
EDT
8:41 AM
EDT
1h 11m
M T W T F S S
Prices
DL3061+4
DL Delta
712
7:30 AM
EDT TM
8:41 AM
EDT
1h 11m
M T W T F S S
Prices
AM3362cs
AM Aeromexi
717
7:30 AM
EDT
8:41 AM
EDT
1h 11m
M T W T F S S
Prices
LA7063cs
LA LATAM Chile
717
7:30 AM
EDT
8:41 AM
EDT
1h 11m
M T W T F S S
Prices
KE3763cs
KE Korean
712
10:04 AM
EDT TM
11:10 AM
EDT
1h 6m
M T W T F S S
Prices
AM3312
Seat map
AM Aeromexi
CR9 Seat map
10:05 AM
EDT
11:12 AM
EDT
1h 7m
M T W T F S S
Prices
DL5202+1
DL Delta
CR9
10:05 AM
EDT TM
11:12 AM
EDT
1h 7m
M T W T F S S
Prices
DL5214
Starts Oct 6 Seat map
DL Delta
CR9 Seat map
10:10 AM
EDT
11:25 AM
EDT
1h 15m
M T W T F S S
Prices
AM3558
Starts Oct 6 Seat map
AM Aeromexi
CR9 Seat map
10:10 AM
EDT
11:25 AM
EDT
1h 15m
M T W T F S S
Prices
KE3790+4
KE Korean
712
11:55 AM
EDT TM
1:05 PM
EDT
1h 10m
M T W T F S S
Prices
VS2793cs
VS Virgin Atlantic
717
11:55 AM
EDT
1:05 PM
EDT
1h 10m
M T W T F S S
Prices
SK3780cs
SK S
717
11:55 AM
EDT
1:05 PM
EDT
1h 10m
M T W T F S S
Prices
WS6843
Seat map
WS WestJet
717 Seat map
11:55 AM
EDT
1:05 PM
EDT
1h 10m
M T W T F S S
Prices
AM4293+1
Seat map
AM Aeromexi
717 Seat map
11:55 AM
EDT
1:05 PM
EDT
1h 10m
M T W T F S S
Prices
AM3037
Starts Sep 18 Seat map
AM Aeromexi
CR9 Seat map
11:57 AM
EDT
1:05 PM
EDT
1h 8m
M T W T F S S
Prices
AM3841
Seat map
AM Aeromexi
717 Seat map
11:57 AM
EDT
1:05 PM
EDT
1h 8m
M T W T F S S
Prices
DL5175
Starts Sep 18 Seat map
DL Delta
CR9 Seat map
11:57 AM
EDT
1:05 PM
EDT
1h 8m
M T W T F S S
Prices
LA5453+2
Seat map
LA LATAM Chile
717 Seat map
11:57 AM
EDT
1:05 PM
EDT
1h 8m
M T W T F S S
Prices
WS5489
Starts Sep 18 Seat map
WS WestJet
CR9 Seat map
11:57 AM
EDT
1:05 PM
EDT
1h 8m
M T W T F S S
Prices
VS2538cs
VS Virgin Atlantic
717
11:57 AM
EDT
1:05 PM
EDT
1h 8m
M T W T F S S
Prices
DL1590+7
DL Delta
712
11:57 AM
EDT TM
1:05 PM
EDT
1h 8m
M T W T F S S
Prices
LA5055
Starts Sep 18 Seat map
LA LATAM Chile
CR9 Seat map
11:57 AM
EDT
1:05 PM
EDT
1h 8m
M T W T F S S
Prices
AF2936cs
Starts Sep 16
AF Air France
717
11:57 AM
EDT
1:05 PM
EDT
1h 8m
M T W T F S S
Prices
AM3130cs
AM Aeromexi
712
1:59 PM
EDT TM
3:08 PM
EDT
1h 9m
M T W T F S S
Prices
VS2517cs
VS Virgin Atlantic
717
1:59 PM
EDT TM
3:08 PM
EDT
1h 9m
M T W T F S S
Prices
DL2944+5
DL Delta
712
1:59 PM
EDT TM
3:08 PM
EDT
1h 9m
M T W T F S S
Prices
WS5566
Starts Oct 9 Seat map
WS WestJet
717 Seat map
1:59 PM
EDT
3:10 PM
EDT
1h 11m
M T W T F S S
Prices
KE3170cs
KE Korean
712
1:59 PM
EDT TM
3:08 PM
EDT
1h 9m
M T W T F S S
Prices
SK3214cs
SK S
717
1:59 PM
EDT TM
3:08 PM
EDT
1h 9m
M T W T F S S
Prices
KE3779cs
KE Korean
712
3:50 PM
EDT TM
4:59 PM
EDT
1h 9m
M T W T F S S
Prices
AM3439cs
AM Aeromexi
717
3:51 PM
EDT TM
4:59 PM
EDT
1h 8m
M T W T F S S
Prices
DL3193+12
Seat map
DL Delta
717 Seat map
4:44 PM
EDT
5:46 PM
EDT
1h 2m
M T W T F S S
Prices
LA7041
Starts Oct 10 Seat map
LA LATAM Chile
717 Seat map
5:11 PM
EDT
6:23 PM
EDT
1h 12m
M T W T F S S
Prices
VS2539cs
VS Virgin Atlantic
CR9
5:49 PM
EDT TM
7:00 PM
EDT
1h 11m
M T W T F S S
Prices
KL5126cs
KL KLM
CR9
5:51 PM
EDT TM
7:07 PM
EDT
1h 16m
M T W T F S S
Prices
AM3046
Starts Sep 18 Seat map
AM Aeromexi
CR9 Seat map
5:59 PM
EDT
7:10 PM
EDT
1h 11m
M T W T F S S
Prices
WS5483
Starts Sep 25 Seat map
WS WestJet
717 Seat map
5:59 PM
EDT
7:12 PM
EDT
1h 13m
M T W T F S S
Prices
DL5192+1
Starts Sep 18 Seat map
DL Delta
CR9 Seat map
5:59 PM
EDT
7:10 PM
EDT
1h 11m
M T W T F S S
Prices
DL3032+10
Seat map
DL Delta
717 Seat map
5:59 PM
EDT
7:12 PM
EDT
1h 13m
M T W T F S S
Prices
KE3785cs
KE Korean
712
6:08 PM
EDT TM
7:20 PM
EDT
1h 12m
M T W T F S S
Prices
LA5457
Starts Sep 19 Seat map
LA LATAM Chile
CR9 Seat map
6:09 PM
EDT
7:21 PM
EDT
1h 12m
M T W T F S S
Prices
AM3206
Starts Sep 19 Seat map
AM Aeromexi
CR9 Seat map
6:09 PM
EDT
7:21 PM
EDT
1h 12m
M T W T F S S
Prices
WS5575
Seat map
WS WestJet
CR9 Seat map
6:09 PM
EDT
7:21 PM
EDT
1h 12m
M T W T F S S
Prices
DL5368
Seat map
DL Delta
CR9 Seat map
6:09 PM
EDT
7:21 PM
EDT
1h 12m
M T W T F S S
Prices
DL2193+7
Seat map
DL Delta
717 Seat map
7:19 PM
EDT
8:29 PM
EDT
1h 10m
M T W T F S S
Prices
KE3791cs
KE Korean
717
7:19 PM
EDT TM
8:29 PM
EDT
1h 10m
M T W T F S S
Prices
WS5466cs
WS WestJet
717
7:19 PM
EDT
8:29 PM
EDT
1h 10m
M T W T F S S
Prices
VS2792cs
VS Virgin Atlantic
717
7:47 PM
EDT TM
9:04 PM
EDT
1h 17m
M T W T F S S
Prices

No flights match your filters.

No scheduled airline flights on this route — it's flown by charter / private operators (). No nonstop flights on this route. connecting options below.

✦ 1-Stop connections via 9 hubs
CLT Charlotte 3h 5m AAAFAM AA Charlotte (CLT) to Columbia flights
IAD Dulles 4h 8m AFAMCM CMSNUA Dulles (IAD) to Columbia flights
DCA Washington 4h 16m AAAFAM AA Washington (DCA) to Columbia flights
PHL Philadelphia 5h 2m AAAFAM AAQR Philadelphia (PHL) to Columbia flights
LGA New York 5h 9m AAAFAM AADL New York (LGA) to Columbia flights
ORD Chicago 5h 20m AAACAF AANZUA Chicago (ORD) to Columbia flights
DFW Dallas-Fort Worth 5h 37m AAAFAM AAQFQR Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) to Columbia flights
EWR Newark 12h 15m ACAFAM UA Newark (EWR) to Columbia flights
MIA Miami ~6h 9m AAAFAM AA Miami (MIA) to Columbia flights
1-STOP More options, longer trips
2-STOP Loading... Reach the hardest destinations
Atlanta to Columbia
3 carriers, 260 flights/week nonstop.
3 Airlines 191 mi 1h 2m nonstop

ATL–CAE is served by 3 airlines with nonstop service. Delta Air Lines, American Airlines and Sun Country Airlines lead the route. The flight covers 191 miles in approximately 1h 2m. Beyond nonstop, 1-stop connecting options are also available.

Airline Landscape

All carriers operating nonstop ATL–CAE service, compared side by side.
Airline Freq/wk Aircraft Duration Dep OTP Alliance Codeshares
DL Delta Air Lines Also: AF, AM, KE, KL, LA, SK, VS, WS 66 712, 717, CR9 0h58-1h10 88% SkyTeam AF, AM, KE, KL, LA, SK, VS, WS
AA American Airlines 0 88% Oneworld
SY Sun Country Airlines 0 88%
Aircraft on this route
712 Boeing 717-200 – AF, DL, KE
717 Boeing 717 – AF, AM, DL, KE, KL, LA, SK, VS, WS
CR9 Bombardier CRJ-900 – AM, DL, KE, LA, VS, WS
Alliance coverage
SkyTeam: DL (66 flights/wk, 100%)
Oneworld: AA (0 flights/wk, 0%)
Unaffiliated: SY (0 flights/wk, 0%)
OTP based on airport-level delay snapshots. Duration ranges reflect seasonal/directional variation.

Weekly Schedule Pattern

Nonstop flight frequency by day of week, ATL to CAE direction.
Mon
37
flights
Tue
37
flights
Wed
37
flights
Thu
37
flights
Fri
41
flights
Sat
34
flights
Sun
37
flights
Departure time distribution
12 AM6 AM12 PM6 PM12 AM
Morning departures
Afternoon/evening departures
47
Nonstop flights
260
Outbound / wk
281
Return / wk

Connection Landscape

Beyond nonstop. 1-stop and 2-stop options for ATL to CAE.
1-STOP
One-Stop Connections
9
Hubs
~3h
Fastest
~12h
Longest
Verified with published schedule alignment and minimum connection time.
2-STOP
Two-Stop Connections
995
Candidates
Two-stop connections loaded in the connections tab above.
Connections computed from published schedules with minimum connection time verification. Use the interactive explorer above the fold to filter by airline, tier, and layover time.

On-Time Performance

What to expect at each end of your journey.
Outbound
ATL → CAE
88%
Generally reliable. Most flights run on time.
Departing
88%
Arriving
70%
Return
CAE → ATL
88%
Generally reliable. Most flights run on time.
Departing
88%
Arriving
91%
OTP = percentage of flights arriving within 15 min of schedule. Based on airport-level delay snapshots. ATL delays → CAE delays →

Other ways to reach Columbia from Atlanta

Nearby airports with service to Columbia Metropolitan Airport.
Metric ATL→CAE PDK→CAE CHA→CAE
Distance from ATL 18 mi 106 mi
Nonstop airlines 3 5 1
Weekly flights 260 1
Flight time 1h 2m 0h 38m 1h
Departure OTP 88%
Airports within 200 miles of ATL with service to Columbia Metropolitan Airport.

Travel Essentials

Practical planning for this route.
Time Difference
0h
Columbia is 0 hours the same as Atlanta.
ATL: EDT · CAE: EDT

When it's 6:00 PM in Atlanta, it's 6:00 PM in Columbia.
Distance & Flight Time
191 mi / 307 km
Nonstop flight time is approximately 1h 2m gate to gate.
Getting to ATL

MARTA Gold Line runs every 12–15 minutes from downtown Five Points station to the airport (16 min, $2.50). The station connects directly to the Domestic terminal via SkyTrain. Ride-shares cost $20–35 from downtown.

Economy parking in the North/South garages fills quickly; off-site lots on Camp Creek Parkway offer cheaper rates with shuttles.

ATL–CAE Quick Facts

Key statistics for the Atlanta to Columbia route.
Route details
Distance191 mi / 307 km
Flight time1h 2m
Time difference0 hours
Airlines (nonstop)3
Weekly flights260 out / 281 return
1-stop connectionsAvailable
Origin: ATL
IATA / ICAOATL / KATL
TimezoneAmerica/New_York
Passengers/yr108.1M
Elevation1,026 ft / 313 m
Destination: CAE
IATA / ICAOCAE / KCAE
TimezoneAmerica/New_York
Passengers/yr1.3M
Elevation236 ft / 72 m

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about ATL to CAE flights.
Nonstop flights from Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport to Columbia Metropolitan Airport take about 1h 2m gate to gate. The route covers 191 miles.
3 airlines operate flights from ATL to CAE: Delta Air Lines, American Airlines and Sun Country Airlines.
This route has frequent daily service. Check the schedule above for departure days and times in each direction.
Yes, 1-stop connections are available, ranked by layover time. Common connecting points include Charlotte Douglas, Washington Dulles and Ronald Reagan Washington National.
On a single ticket, yes. Your bags are checked through to CAE and move between planes without you. On two separate tickets you collect your bags at the connecting airport and recheck them, so build in extra layover time.
Yes, return flights from CAE to ATL are available. Use the direction toggle at the top to view the return schedule.
Nearby alternatives include PDK, CHA and BHM. See the Alternatives section for a full comparison.
Click the 'Search Flights' button to check availability and prices on Google Flights. You can also compare airlines and schedules on this page to find the best option.
See the On-Time Performance section for the latest delay data at both airports. This shows departure and arrival reliability to help you plan.
Route data is updated regularly from official airline schedules. On-time performance data comes from recent airport delay snapshots.
Block time is 50 minutes to 1 hour 5 minutes for the 190-mile route. This is one of the shortest jet routes in the Southeast. Actual air time is around 30 minutes. The aircraft may not reach a typical cruising altitude before beginning descent into CAE.
Delta Air Lines operates 3 to 5 daily nonstops via Delta Connection on regional jets, typically the CRJ-900 or E175. American Airlines runs 1 to 2 daily nonstops through American Eagle. No low-cost carrier serves the route nonstop. Total daily departures are around 5 to 7 in each direction.
The drive on I-20 takes about 3 hours 15 minutes. When you add airport time on both ends, the door-to-door travel time by air is similar. Flying makes sense mostly for passengers connecting through Atlanta to other destinations. For point-to-point travel between the two cities, driving is often more practical unless you are already at the airport.
Columbia Metropolitan Airport (CAE) serves the South Carolina Midlands, including the state capital, Fort Jackson (one of the largest Army basic training installations), and the University of South Carolina. The airport also draws traffic from Orangeburg, Sumter, and parts of the Piedmont region where no closer commercial airport exists. It sits about 6 miles southwest of downtown Columbia.

Atlanta to Columbia: Delta Hub to South Carolina's Capital

ATL-CAE covers 190 miles in under an hour of flight time. Delta Connection operates 3 to 5 daily nonstops on CRJ-900 or E175 regional jets. American Eagle adds 1 to 2 daily frequencies. The route functions primarily as a hub connector, feeding Columbia passengers into Delta's Atlanta network for onward travel. Point-to-point demand between the two cities is modest since the drive on I-20 takes only 3 hours 15 minutes. The passenger base includes state government officials, military personnel from Fort Jackson, University of South Carolina travelers, and business visitors to Columbia's insurance and banking sector.

Columbia's Air Service Landscape

Columbia Metropolitan Airport is a small facility with limited nonstop service. Atlanta, Charlotte, Dallas, and Chicago are the primary hub connections. CAE's location between two larger airports creates competition for the Midlands traveler. Charlotte Douglas (CLT) is about 90 miles north, and Charleston (CHS) is 115 miles southeast. Some Columbia-area travelers drive to Charlotte for its larger route network, especially for international flights. Delta's ATL connection counters this by offering a one-stop path to virtually any destination worldwide. Fort Jackson's basic training graduation weekends generate predictable traffic spikes, as families travel in from across the country through ATL to CAE.