✈️ Charleston KCHS: The Southeast's Fastest-Growing FBO Market
Charleston posted the Southeast's most striking business aviation surge in Q1 2026. Avi-Go data shows KCHS movements jumped from 3,645 in Q1 2025 to 7,331 in Q1 2026 — a 101.1% year-over-year gain — while Palm Beach KPBI fell 9.4% (23,671→21,445), Jacksonville KJAX grew just 2.6%, and Savannah KSAV 1.2%. Charleston's growth against regional stagnation or decline points to measurable traffic diversion.
Implications: Palm Beach's status as the Southeast's dominant bizav hub is under pressure. Charleston's rapid rise will reshape regional FBO competition. Per AIN, Air Elite Network expanded its Southeast U.S. FBO network to 90+ locations in March 2026 — Charleston's traffic data directly supports that network investment thesis.
Recommendations: FBO operators should assess KCHS ground service capacity before Q2 2026, focusing on whether ramp space and fuel supply can handle doubled traffic volumes. Charter operators should integrate Charleston into Southeast route planning and prioritize testing traffic migration from Palm Beach to Charleston.