The original Charleston Airport was located on a former phosphate mine leased from South Carolina Mining and Manufacturing Company. In 1928, the Charleston Airport Corporation was formed to lease approximately 700 acres which was cleared and graded to provide landing strips for aircraft. The privately-owned airport officially opened on August 10, 1929 (The Cooper River Bridge was dedicated during the same week).

In 1931, the city of Charleston floated a $60,000 Bond Issue to obtain a portion of this property and commence further development of the airfield. Mr. A. M. Luke established Hawthorne Flying Service at the airfield soon thereafter, and Hawthorne facilities remained in continuous service until the 1990s.

In 1974, residents of the Mt. Pleasant area strongly expressed the desire for a modern General Aviation airport to serve their community – as a result, the Charleston County Aviation Authority authorized the development of a Master Plan for this airport.

In 1976, the Authority selected a site for development and purchased a 300 acre parcel from Georgia-Pacific approximately 10 miles northeast of central Mt. Pleasant.

By the summer of 1986, all airport paving was complete, including a 3700’ runway, aircraft parking apron, and automobile parking lot. Thereafter, the above ground structures, including a maintenance hangar, offices, T-Hangar, and fuel farm were constructed and the airport officially opened for public use in August, 1987.

Charleston International Airport

Charleston International Airport (IATA: CHS, ICAO: KCHS) is an airport located nine miles (14 km) northwest of the city of Charleston in Charleston County, South Carolina, USA. The airport has two runways which it shares with Charleston Air Force Base. It is South Carolina's busiest airport with 106 flights or more daily. It is estimated that 4,000 people go through the airport on an average day and 6,000 during the holiday season.

Facilities and aircraft

Charleston International Airport and Charleston AFB cover an area of 2,060 acres (834 ha) which contains two runways: 9,001 x 200 ft. (2,744 x 61 m) and 3/21 measuring 7,004 x 150 ft. (2,135 x 46 m).[1]

For the 12-month period ending January 31, 2007, the airport had 110,274 aircraft operations, an average of 302 per day: 30% general aviation, 30% air taxi, 25% military and 15% scheduled commercial. At that time there were 40 aircraft based at this airport: 25% single-engine, 45% multi-engine, 20% jet, 10% helicopter.

Travelers can select from 124 flights daily going to 17 destinations. Charleston International passengers can enjoy all the travel advantages combined with a unique and refreshing level of personal services and attention. Due to the modern facilities, state-of-the-art operations and proximity to Charleston, the Charleston International Airport is quickly becoming a principal transportation hub for the southeastern United States and a gateway to the world.

Airlines Serving Airport: ASA-St Petersburg, Atlantic Coast Airlines, Comair - Delta, Continental, Mesaba Aviation, US Airways

Charleston, originally an English settlement, is one of the oldest and most historic cities in the United States. Situated in southeastern South Carolina on the Atlantic coast, Charleston has a total land area of 120 square kilometres. Charleston has a well earned reputation for gracious hospitality and manners built up over two centuries. Nowhere in the US will you experience such a true sense of the Old South with a long background of wealthy planters and their antebellum homes, cobblestone streets and horse-drawn carriages.