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Route · CLT → CAE · 2020–2025 BTS data

Charlotte to Columbia

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), CLT to CAE (Charlotte to Columbia) ranks #1903 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

82.9%
On-time
+3.9 pts
vs US avg
69 min
Delay when late
6,631
Flights
#1903 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

1.6%

Best Month

Dec 2023 93%

Worst Month

Feb 2025 59%

Distance

88 mi

Carriers

7

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Oct 2025 34 6 0 0 OH,MQ
Sep 2025 41 4 0 0 MQ,OH
May 2025 123 38 4 0 OH
Apr 2025 109 30 1 0 OH
Mar 2025 62 17 1 0 OH
Feb 2025 66 27 3 0 OH
Jan 2025 95 21 5 0 OH
Dec 2024 118 25 0 0 OH
Nov 2024 103 15 0 0 OH
Oct 2024 142 33 0 0 OH
Sep 2024 124 27 2 0 OH
Aug 2024 115 22 2 0 OH
Jul 2024 94 26 7 1 OH
Jun 2024 93 10 4 0 OH
May 2024 125 38 1 0 OH
Apr 2024 118 24 0 0 OH
Mar 2024 84 16 0 0 OH
Feb 2024 71 9 0 0 OH
Jan 2024 59 10 1 0 OH
Dec 2023 55 4 0 0 OH
Nov 2023 72 7 0 0 OH
Oct 2023 38 4 0 0 OH
Sep 2023 80 8 0 0 OH
Aug 2023 63 17 3 0 OH

CLT–CAE seasonal on-time pattern

Best: November (90.5%) · weakest: July (74.1%)

70%75%80%85%90%95% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 88.3%

Strongest calendar month

November

90.5% on-time · ~78 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

June

~120 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

July

74.1% on-time · ~116 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

1.6%

34 of 2,084 flights

Diversion Rate

0.0%

1 of 2,084 flights

Explore origin & destination

On-time and delay data for the airports this route connects.

CLT - Charlotte

Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Charlotte, NC.

CLT on-time profile

CAE - Columbia

Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Columbia, SC.

CAE on-time profile

Compare the two airports

See CLT and CAE side by side on delays, cancellations, and reliability.

Compare CLT vs CAE

Origin-hub reliability standing

Mid-pack among CLT departures

From CLT, this corridor sits with 116 other 75–85% on-time routes out of 129 tracked departures, not the hub's reliability leaders (5 at ≥85%) and not the softest ( 8 below 75%). Destination: Columbia · fleet on-time rank #1972 of 4927.

What the Data Says About CLT to CAE

Bureau of Transportation Statistics records show Charlotte to Columbia (CLT to CAE) running a 82.9% on-time rate over 6,631 tracked flights, on the stronger end of a typical domestic pairing. When flights do run late, the average delay is 69.1 minutes. The 88-mile corridor is served by 7 carriers, and over the last 24 months 1.6% of 2,084 flights were cancelled, 0.0% diverted.

The monthly split is wide on this route: Dec 2023 posted the strongest performance at 93% on-time, while Feb 2025 came in at just 59% - a 34-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, CLT–CAE peaks in November at 90.5% on-time while June carries the heaviest traffic (~120 flights per month) ; the softest month is July at 74.1%, a 16.4-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does CLT to CAE rank among US routes by traffic? ▼
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, CLT to CAE ranks #1903 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1). That ordinal matches our busiest-routes listing (total_flights DESC). See /methodology#corpus-placement for the exact sort basis.
How often are flights delayed from CLT to CAE? ▼
Flights from Charlotte to Columbia have a 82.9% on-time rate based on 6,631 flights. The average delay is 69.1 minutes. The best recent month was Dec 2023 with 93% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for CLT to CAE? ▼
Over the last 24 months, 1.6% of flights on this route were cancelled (34 of 2,084 flights) and 0.0% were diverted.
How far is the flight from CLT to CAE? ▼
The flight distance from Charlotte (CLT) to Columbia (CAE) is approximately 88 miles. This route is served by 7 carriers.
When is the best time to fly from CLT to CAE? ▼
The best recent month for on-time performance was Dec 2023 (93% on-time). The worst was Feb 2025 (59% on-time). Consider booking during months with historically better performance.

Airports on this route

CLT Airport

Charlotte
CAE Airport

Columbia
Data source

Data Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), On-Time Performance Data. Statistics reflect cumulative performance across all available reporting periods.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Using CLT–CAE data

CLT–CAE runs 3.9 pts above the national 79% average; the remaining risk is month-to-month swing and carrier mix, not a weak headline rate.

  • Compare CLT and CAE airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. CLT airport
  • If your dates flex, November (90.5% on-time) beats July (74.1%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 82.9% on-time rate; compare before you commit to this pairing. Similar routes

On-time rate reflects the BTS historical average across all reporting carriers on this origin–destination pair, not any single flight or booking recommendation.

Data sourced from U.S. Department of Transportation Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) On-Time Performance data. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainFlights

Every figure on PlainFlights is rendered directly from BTS On-Time Performance data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page aggregates this specific route's on-time performance and monthly trend, live from the dataset. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.