Columbia Metropolitan Airport leaders say the airport set a new passenger record in 2025.

The airport served 1,371,977 passengers in 2025, exceeding the previous record of 1,326,374 travelers recorded in 2024, according to a release from the airport.

From January through June 2025, CAE welcomed 673,719 travelers, an increase of 2,111 passengers compared with the same period in 2024.

“CAE is a vital transportation hub and resource for the Midlands community,” Chris White, president and CEO of Columbia Metropolitan Airport, said in the release. “The entire team understands that traveling – may it be for work, pleasure, or a little of both – should be as efficient and convenient as possible. In all areas we have influence, we aim for our valued passengers to have that experience when they’re in the airport.”

October was the busiest month of the year, with 129,176 passengers traveling through the terminal. The total topped October 2024 traffic, when 126,263 passengers used the airport.

In 2025, CAE expanded its air service offerings by adding two new airline carriers, Allegiant Air and Spirit Airlines. The airport also introduced additional nonstop destinations, including Orlando/Sanford, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando and Newark, New Jersey.

According to a media release, the new routes contributed significantly to overall passenger growth, with load factors on many flights consistently exceeding 93%.

Spirit Airlines later exited the market after the carrier filed for bankruptcy.

“We were thrilled to welcome both Allegiant and Spirit to the market as securing a low-cost carrier has been a focus and top priority for some time,” said Kim Crafton, vice president of marketing and air service development. “Even though Spirit’s departure was unfortunate, their time in the market proved that there is significant demand for low-cost options here at CAE and this community will support another low-cost carrier when the time is right. We’re thankful for the service we have on Allegiant and continue to encourage the community to use it when flying to Florida.”

For more information, visit www.FlyCAE.com.