COLUMBIA, S.C. — Columbia Metropolitan Airport is celebrating 85 years of continuous service by Delta Air Lines in Columbia.
The airline’s first passenger flight departed Columbia on August 8, 1934.
A round trip ticket from Columbia to Dallas, in 1934, cost $87.39. The flight to Dallas made eight stops and took an elapsed time of over 20 hours. Passengers could receive a refund if they cancelled two hours prior to the flight.
“Delta Air Lines has always been a great partner,” said CAE Executive Director, Mike Gula. “We congratulate them on this incredible milestone of continuous air service in Columbia and also thank them for providing our travelers with such excellent service. We’re looking forward to many more years of that same great service as well as continued growth at CAE.”
Delta first began serving Columbia passengers at Owens Field Airport (now Jim Hamilton-LB Owens Airport) on a 7-passenger Stinson Model T airplane with a flying speed of 100 mph. Delta took delivery of this aircraft type in June 1934 and operated a total of six planes, but retired them in 1937.
The airline’s first passenger flight arrived in Columbia on ht morning of August 8, 1934 to complete Delta’s new trans-southern route which stretched from Dallas, Texas in the west to Charleston, South Carolina in the east. Stops were made throughout Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina.
