Columbia Airport seeks larger role in air cargo segment

Columbia Metropolitan Airport wants to play a larger role in the air cargo industry and serve as a less congested alternative to airports including Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International and Charlotte Douglas International.

The South Carolina Department of Commerce awarded Columbia Metropolitan Airport (CAE) a $5 million grant in 2024 to acquire new ground service equipment and renovate its west cargo building to support additional warehousing and air cargo operations.

Apart from FedEx and UPS, there really are no other cargo-handling capabilities at CAE, Ryan Kreulen, vice president of operations at the airport, says in this week’s episode of “Cargo Facts Connect.”

Air cargo flights accounted for 14% of CAE’s total traffic in 2025, with most of the 40,000 tonnes of air freight moving through the airport being handled by FedEx and UPS.

In addition to having customs on site at the airport, CAE provides an escape from the congestion found in larger markets and the experience of working with large freighter operators, Chief Executive Chris White says in the podcast.

Tune into this week’s episode of “Cargo Facts Connect” to hear White and Kreulen discuss with Senior Associate Editor Robert Luke how they plan to attract more cargo operators to the capital of South Carolina.